ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Colton Herta’s comments on Friday stirred discussions in the racing world when he mentioned the possibility of a transition to Formula 1 with the new Cadillac team, contingent on him securing eligibility for the international competition. Herta currently lacks the required super license for F1, but he can earn it by finishing fourth or better in the current IndyCar season; last season, he secured the second spot.
The initial F1 proposition under Michael Andretti was meant to form an American team, with Herta considered as the lead American driver. However, the involvement of Andretti has waned since TWG Motorsports, led by Dan Towriss, a former business partner of Andretti, took over as majority owners of Andretti Global. Despite these changes, it is widely expected that one of the seats at the Cadillac team will be reserved for Herta, providing he meets eligibility. Other drivers such as Sergio Perez, Valtteri Bottas, and Zhou Guanyu, who were part of last season’s F1 lineup but are not contracted for 2025, have also been speculated for the second seat.
On the opening day of the IndyCar season, Herta expressed that a move to F1 isn’t guaranteed in his plans. “I’d be leaving a fantastic team of people I thoroughly enjoy collaborating with, so it’s not an automatic decision for me,” Herta commented. “Deciding to just say ‘see you later’ isn’t straightforward. Leaving might mean never working with these exceptional professionals again.”
Herta has grown tired of the persistent inquiries regarding his potential future in F1 and prefers to center his efforts on capturing victory in both the Indianapolis 500 and the IndyCar championship this year. He emphasized his determination to remain undistracted by F1 speculations and implored that the queries regarding a potential F1 move should cease.
Dan Towriss, who acquired Andretti’s stake at the close of the previous season, expressed approval of Herta’s stance. “I genuinely appreciated hearing that from Herta. It underscores his commitment and focus on IndyCar, which is what we all want to see,” Towriss stated. “That’s exactly the kind of response I wanted. We’re completely aligned with our goals for this year. Having finished second last season, he knows exactly what changes are needed for improvement and winning. A few strategic moves away from securing the top position,” Towriss added.
“He’s put in tremendous effort in the offseason, and our team as a whole has had an excellent offseason,” Towriss continued. “His desire to succeed is evident, making any distractions about Formula 1 irrelevant, considering both the series’ demands and the super license requirements. His focus and commitment are exactly what we need.”
