Hélio Castroneves (; born Hélio Alves de Castro Neves; 10 May 1975) is a Brazilian auto racing driver. He currently competes in the Stock Car Pro Series for Mercado Livre Racing and competes part-time in the IndyCar Series, driving the No. 06 Dallara-Honda for Meyer Shank Racing.
Castroneves is one of four drivers to have won the Indianapolis 500 a record four times: in 2001, 2002, 2009, and 2021. He was runner-up in the IndyCar Series drivers' championship in 2002, 2008, 2013, and 2014. He has also competed in the IMSA SportsCar Championship, where he won the overall championship in 2020 with Team Penske. He is a three-time winner of the 24 Hours of Daytona, consecutively in 2021 with Wayne Taylor Racing and 2022 and 2023 with Meyer Shank, and won Petit Le Mans two times.
Castroneves began competitive go-karting at age 10, before progressing to car racing, in the Formula Chevrolet Brazil, Formula 3 Sudamericana, the British Formula Three Championship, and Indy Lights. He entered Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART) in 1998 with Bettenhausen Racing and with Hogan Racing in 1999, achieving one second place each with both teams. Castroneves moved to Team Penske in place of Greg Moore for 2000 and 2001, winning three races in both years.
Castroneves debuted in the Indy Racing League (IRL) in 2001, competing in two races for Penske and winning the Indianapolis 500. Castroneves drove full time in the IRL from 2002, winning the Indy 500 for a second straight year and finishing runner-up to Sam Hornish Jr. in the championship. He finished third in 2003 and 2006 and was runner-up to Scott Dixon in 2008. During the 2009 season, he won the Indianapolis 500 for the third time and finished fourth in the points standings. He was fourth again in two of the next three seasons, before coming second to Dixon in 2013 and his Penske teammate Will Power in 2014. Castroneves achieved one further series win in 2017 before leaving full-time IndyCar racing to make his IMSA SportsCar Championship debut with Penske at the 2017 Petit Le Mans, paired with Ricky Taylor. He won one race and finished seventh in the 2018 Prototype standings and improved to third with five podiums in 2019. In 2020, he would win four races en route to his first auto racing title.
One of the most popular drivers in IndyCar, Castroneves's celebration of climbing the fencing beside the track after a victory, would earn him the nickname "Spider-Man". Castroneves has represented IndyCar in the International Race of Champions series, the Race of Champions event, and the Superstar Racing Experience. Among other media appearances, Castroneves won the fifth season of Dancing with the Stars with professional dancer Julianne Hough.
Early and personal life
Castroneves was born in São Paulo, Brazil on 10 May 1975, to automobile dealer Hélio Castro Neves and former school teacher Sandra Alves de Castro Neves. He has an elder sister, Katiucia, who is his business manager. to allow his father to find business in the region's thriving ethanol processing industry. He was educated in the São Paulo school system. In 2000, he changed his surname from Castro Neves to Castroneves to stop the media misidentifying him as "Helio Neves" or "Helio Castro". Castroneves has a daughter with his long-time partner Adriana Henao.
Karting career
From early 1981 to 1986, Castroneves observed his father's minor stock car team race on weekends by being sneaked into a car's trunk in racing overalls and helmet, allowing him into a circuit. On his 11th birthday, Castroneves received his first go-kart from race car driver Alfredo Guaraná Menezes, and began driving at a karting track in São Paulo. and won more races in Brazil.
Junior car racing career
Aged 16 in late 1991, Castroneves progressed into car racing, competing in Formula Chevrolet Brazil, a series for finishing go-karters. His parents hired a trainer to help him lift weights for better car control and took him to a local recreational center. Negotiations to drive for the Arisco team fell through when it asked for $200,000 in sponsorship, causing his father to spend $250,000 on his team. Driving a Copral-Berta-Chevrolet car, Castroneves was championship runner-up with one victory and 92 points in the eight-round season. He moved to the higher-tier Formula 3 (F3) Sudamericana in 1993 driving a Ralt RT34-Mugen Honda car with Copral and later the funded Amir Nasr Racing Team. Castroneves won at Circuit Trois-Rivières and achieved seven top-tens for seventh overall with 84 points. A series of accidents and Castroneves' lack of English frustrated him, and he briefly spoke to a sports psychologist for help mid-season.