Colton Herta Joins Cadillac As Test Driver In Pursuit Of F1 Seat

Joe Skibinski / Penske Entertainment

Since Michael Andretti launched his bid for nan F1 introduction successful 2021, Colton Herta quickly became nan first-choice pick to jump from IndyCar into Formula One. While Andretti has been sidelined, Cadillac's F1 team announced connected Wednesday that it signed nan 25-year-old American arsenic a trial driver. The move was quickly followed by Andretti Global signing erstwhile Penske driver Will Power to return complete Herta's spot successful IndyCar.

Alongside his testing and improvement role, Herta will beryllium spending his 2026 play competing successful Europe. He will apt beryllium racing successful Formula 2 to unafraid nan important points needed for an FIA Super License. While Herta isn't starting from scratch, a top-three title decorativeness would beryllium capable to instantly gain nan 40 points for a Super License. However, nan six points from an eighth spot successful nan F2 standings would beryllium capable for Herta, factoring successful nan 34 points he banked for nan past 2 IndyCar seasons. Herta said successful a property release:

"I'm incredibly excited to beryllium joining nan Cadillac Formula 1 Team arsenic a Test Driver. This is simply a dream opportunity, and 1 I've been moving towards for a agelong time. To beryllium portion of Cadillac F1's introduction astatine specified a pivotal clip is thing I couldn't walk up. "My dream has ever been to title successful Formula 1, and I spot this move arsenic a immense measurement towards that goal. For now, my attraction is connected giving everything I tin to Cadillac F1, helping build a competitory team."

Miguel J. Rodriguez Carrillo/Getty Images

Herta wouldn't needfully request to person contiguous occurrence successful F2. Cadillac signed Sergio Pérez and Valtteri Bottas to title seats connected multi-year contracts. However, some drivers will beryllium 36 years aged astatine Cadillac's debut title adjacent year. Drivers competing past 40 are a rarity successful F1, pinch Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton being nan exceptions that beryllium nan rule. Herta could beryllium first successful statement to switch either Bottas aliases Pérez should 1 of them discontinue aliases Cadillac determine to put a driver retired to pasture.

While Herta's move seems natural, fixed that nan Cadillac F1 Team and Andretti Global are some nether nan TWG ownership umbrella, on pinch nan Dodgers and nan Lakers, Red Bull Racing besides considered offering nan American a job. In 2021, Max Verstappen's employer sought a COVID-related exemption from nan FIA to suffice Herta for a Super License and spot him astatine its sister AlphaTauri team. The FIA refused to assistance nan exemption. In nan years since, Andretti's struggles successful IndyCar meant that Herta couldn't decorativeness precocious capable successful IndyCar to gain an F1 license. A driver must either triumph IndyCar's title aliases decorativeness successful nan apical 3 complete 3 consecutive seasons. The F2 way seems for illustration a cakewalk by comparison.