Helio Castroneves joins Barrichello, Massa in the ...

Helio Castroneves will drive within the Brazilian Inventory Automobile Professional Collection in 2025, having been confirmed within the grid of the class forward of this weekend’s season opener at Interlagos.

4-time Indianapolis 500 winner and one of many biggest Brazilian drivers in historical past, Castroneves will mix his new actions on house soil along with his United States duties, the place he’s chasing his fifth Indy 500 title, which might make him probably the most winningest driver ever within the historical past of the Indiana race.

He’ll drive the Chevrolet Tracker of RTR Sport, a Inventory Mild workforce that’s making its debut within the Professional Collection. Castroneves is the most important addition to the grid in 2025, a 12 months thar marks the introduction of the SUVs within the championship, changing the sedans. Becoming a member of Chevrolet Tracker and Toyota Corolla Cross, Mitsubishi returns to the class with the Eclipse Cross.

“I’m very pleased with the invitation from Lincoln Oliveira [Brazilian Stock Car’s CEO and father of F1 driver Gabriel Bortoleto] and I did not assume twice about accepting, as a result of I’m a giant fan of the class, particularly now that the problem is doubled with the entry of the brand new SUV idea”, mentioned Castroneves.

RTR Sport proprietor Maique Papareli additionally celebrated: “It’s an honor to announce Helio Castroneves because the RTR Sport Group driver for the 2025 Inventory Automobile season. Having a reputation with Helio’s historical past and expertise in our challenge is the conclusion of an amazing dream and a milestone within the workforce’s trajectory. We’re very assured that his expertise and dedication will carry distinctive outcomes, along with additional boosting the expansion of our workforce in the primary class of Brazilian motorsports”.

Helio’s final full season in Brazil was again in 1994, when he was runner-up within the nationwide F3 championship. After that, Castroneves began his worldwide profession, first in Europe then within the US, the place he obtained 4 Indy 500 wins, three Daytona 24 Hours triumphs and the 2020 IMSA title.

Castroneves’ full time Inventory Automobile debut this weekend will not be his first expertise within the collection: his first race within the Brazilian Inventory Automobile was again in 2012, when he competed within the Interlagos Million Race, ending 14th. Then he was set to compete in his house city Riberao Preto 2013 spherical however a crash in observe meant he wasn’t in a position to participate within the race.

Helio will be part of different Brazilian motorsport idols within the Inventory Automobile Professional Collection’ 2025 grid, akin to two-time champion Rubens Barrichello, 2024 runner-up Felipe Massa, first ever System E champion Nelson Piquet Jr and former F1 driver Ricardo Zonta, aside from veterans of the class like three-time champions Daniel Serra and Gabriel Casagrande.