Colton Herta packed up his life and left IndyCar behind for a shot at Formula One glory. But that bold move? It might be backfiring in a big way.
The 26-year-old Californian, once the youngest winner in IndyCar history at just 18, spent seven years climbing the ranks—nine wins, a championship runner-up finish, and a reputation as a thrilling if unpredictable talent. Then came the offer from Cadillac’s new F1 team, heavily linked to Andretti, and the dream of becoming America’s next F1 star.
Herta’s plan was simple: switch to Formula 2 this winter, finish in the top eight of the standings to earn enough super license points for a 2027 F1 seat, and gain track time in practice sessions with Bottas and Perez. What could go wrong?
Turns out, a lot. With only five race weekends left in the F2 season, Herta sits 16th in the championship—26 points behind the eighth-place driver he so desperately needs to catch. His Hitech team is struggling too, sitting eighth in the constructors’ standings, but here’s the uncomfortable part: his teammate, Ritomo Miyata, is ahead of him in 13th.
And Miyata is no F2 powerhouse.
The good news? Herta could still scrape together a super license even if he finishes outside the top eight. He’s reportedly set to run four F1 practice sessions this year, each worth one point, and if he avoids penalty points for the rest of F2, that should push him over the 40-point threshold.
But here’s where the story gets even trickier. According to reports, Cadillac’s attention might be shifting. Reigning F3 champion Rafael Camara is currently sitting third in F2 and has the kind of momentum that’s hard to ignore—even if he doesn’t have an American passport.
Colton Herta took a huge gamble on himself when he chose to leave IndyCar for this F1 dream. With the odds seemingly stacking against him, the big question is: will Cadillac stick with their original plan, or will they go with the rising star instead?
