F1 ’a bunch of politics’ - Castroneves

Three-time Indy 500 winner Helio Castroneves has slammed formula one for being "all politics".

"F1? It’s a bunch of politics," he told Forbes magazine. "It’s all politics.

"Every sport has politics, but it’s so bad. Who you know, who you contact — that’s what it’s all about.

"They don’t care if you are good," said the Brazilian. "They don’t care if you are a great person. It feels like Hollywood business. But that’s exactly what it is."

The 38-year-old Indycar driver said that, of F1’s 24 current drivers, he also respects five.

"I think Alonso, Felipe Massa is a friend of mine, Schumacher. Schumacher is not racing anymore, but ... I think Lou..eh, no. I would say Sebastian Vettel. Even Mark Webber. He is a good driver," he said.

"That’s it. The rest of it is just prima donna drivers and spoiled kids."

Castroneves insists his opinion about F1 is not because he was never given a chance to succeed at the pinnacle of motor sport.

"I did get a chance," he said, "but I respect much more what Roger (Penske) did to me. Loyalty and what an incredible team that I wouldn’t even think about changing."