Helio Castroneves is competing in his first full IndyCar season since 2017, and he is finding that he is still having to work hard to adjust to the relatively-new Aeroscreen.
The safety device was introduced for the 2020 season, but Castroneves’ limited schedule means that he has only run 23 races with the Aeroscreen when many of his competitors have run nearly three times that number.
He is finding that he is still adjusting to the differences, including finding the right setup that works best for his driving style.
“I didn’t expect how difficult it was,” said Castroneves. “We are make some changes internally [at Meyer Shank Racing] to make sure these last three races, we continue to improve.
“This aeroscreen literally throw a curve ball, to find a sweet spot, [it is] taking longer than I expected for myself to adapt and to understand what the car needs. We always on one side or another. We’re never able to find it.
“You see good drivers, guys that used to be in the series longer, able to have those inconsistencies, as well. But we’re pushing. I feel like we could be better. But remember, it’s the first full-time season that I’m in. Certainly we’re preparing for bigger things in the future.”
Castroneves famously won his fourth Indianapolis 500 in 2021, which was run over a season after the Aeroscreen was introduced. But each type of track IndyCar runs on gives drivers a different challenge, and causes the added weight of the Aeroscreen to behave differently.
So far this year, the 47-year-old only has three top 10 finishes, and sits lower in the championship standings than he has since his rookie season back in 1998.
“It’s interesting, because of the weight of the aeroscreen, certainly it change a little bit the weight of the steering wheel,” explained Castroneves. “I used to run with different type of caster, for example.
“Certainly the beginning of the season, because I was racing with IMSA for the last three years, it changed. It changed the style, the quickness, it changed the position.
“As I mentioned before, you guys sometimes talk about age. It’s not about age but it’s how long you get used to. Because I was getting used to with one car for three years and getting better and better, now change it again, it takes a little setback for that.”
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