Helio Castroneves, Meyer Shank, IndyCar, Indianapolis 500, 2021

Castroneves to make full-time IndyCar return as Harvey leaves Meyer-Shank

IndyCar

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Helio Castroneves will attempt to become the first driver to win the Indianapolis 500 five times as part of a full-time return to IndyCar racing with Meyer Shank next year.

The 46-year-old scored his fourth victory in the series’ blue riband race with the team in May. He hasn’t raced in the series since, but is due to participate in five of the remaining six races on the schedule, at Nashville, the Indianapolis grand prix circuit, Portland, Laguna Seca and Long Beach.

“I have been missing racing in IndyCar full time so much,” said Castroneves. “So I cannot wait to get a head start on next year with some strong races to finish this season.”

Castroneves’ arrival next year will coincide with the departure of the team’s regular full-season driver Jack Harvey, despite Meyer Shank expanding to two cars for the 2022 campaign.

“We wish Jack much success and we know he will continue to be a driver to watch,” said Meyer Shank co-owner Michael Shank.

“There are so many people around us that have given us the opportunity to expand to two full-season entries for next year,” he added. “My partner Jim Meyer and I have done this in a way that makes sense for us.

“I am very excited to have Helio onboard for the 2022 season and I think there will be a lot of excitement around our second driver when we make that announcement as well.”

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Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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13 comments on “Castroneves to make full-time IndyCar return as Harvey leaves Meyer-Shank”

  1. Harvey to Andretti, and RG to follow.

    1. Who would he replace though? I’m not sure I’d rate either over Andretti’s current drivers, though I think Grosjean has potential.

      1. @Dane The rumors are that both Hinch and RHR are out after this season. There is a good chance that RHR will move to an Andretti run sports car team and drive for them in the 500. Hinch has been anonymous this year, and the sponsors can’t be happy.

  2. Second driver will be?

  3. Nice promisig talent.
    Lots of potential.
    With the appopriate support he can prove himself.

  4. Like always…follow the money. Does Harvey have personal sponsorships or money? It’s easy to have good talent. Money makes the wheels go.

  5. Harvey deserves a good drive.

    1. We’ll see. He wasn’t a factor until the early part of this year when he started this season with some great results. He started 3rd at the Indy Road course but from memory had a technical issue of some kind so dropped out of the top 20. Since then he hasn’t finished higher than 15th.

      He’s in his 5th total seaon of Indycar, 2nd full season. It’s difficult to tell whether he’s really shown enough to keep an Indycar drive but I won’t be disappointed if he gets another shot.

  6. It seems he’s going to RLL.

    1. Don’t rule out Santino for that drive – unless he can’t provide enough funding.

  7. This is mad. It’s like Max Verstappen coming back to race full time in F1 in 2044!!!

    1. Crazy yes, but he’s still in top form amazingly enough and going for a 5th Indy 500 win opens up all sorts of sponsorship opportunities. Many companies want to be involved with this.

  8. Good news. Helio still has a lot to offer, as the latest 500 win shows.

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