Moving On Up: Colton Herta

For five years, Colton Herta has been mentioned as a future Formula 1 driver, with his lightning-fast speed and fearless racecraft making him a star in IndyCar. But after two failed attempts to secure a super licence in 2021 and 2022, Herta headed to Europe and the unknown challenge of Formula 2.

Entering the year, Herta’s goal was simple: finish inside the top eight of the Formula 2 championship and gain valuable free practice experience with Cadillac ahead of a potential Formula 1 graduation in 2027 or 2028.

But so far, Herta has yet to set the world alight. A fifth-place finish in the Barcelona Sprint Race, after throwing away what looked to be a comfortable podium on the final lap, remains his standout result of the campaign.

Herta’s slow start leaves him outside the top six in the Drivers’ Standings, putting him in danger of missing out on the super licence points he needs to graduate to Formula 1. However, favourable circumstances may yet help his cause.

Herta can gain additional super licence points through free practice outings, the first of which came in Barcelona, a circuit he already knew from previous testing with McLaren. There, Herta delivered a respectable performance, completing 27 laps and finishing just under half a second behind Lance Stroll.

The other factor is the current uncertainty surrounding Cadillac’s second seat, presently occupied by Valtteri Bottas. So far, Bottas’ return to Formula 1 has been challenging, with the Finn regularly outpaced by team-mate Sergio Perez in both qualifying and race trim.

Despite being on a multi-year deal, rumours swirled that Bottas was due to be replaced by Herta fairly soon, although in reality, a lack of a superlicence means the Finn’s seat is safe for now.

But is Herta good enough to make the step? Judging by his IndyCar career, the answer appears to be yes. He has repeatedly demonstrated front-running pace, particularly in wet conditions, where some of his most impressive performances have come. Nor has he enjoyed the easiest introduction to Formula 2, arriving with limited experience of many circuits on the calendar and no prior exposure to the championship’s Pirelli tyres.

Once Herta gets up to speed, the results should follow. Yet he faces another challenge: the sport’s ongoing search for the next great American talent.

Not since Michael Andretti’s ill-fated spell with McLaren in 1993 has an American driver arrived with such expectation. Unlike Logan Sargeant or Scott Speed before him, Herta enters the conversation as an established winner and one of IndyCar’s most recognisable names.

The prospect of Cadillac placing Herta in one of its cars would represent a dream scenario for both General Motors and Formula 1. An American driver racing for an American team would provide a powerful narrative as the sport continues to expand across the United States.

Whether Herta ultimately earns that opportunity remains to be seen. His Formula 2 campaign still needs to gather momentum, and the super licence hurdle remains significant. But if his performances improve and he continues to impress in his Formula 1 appearances, few drivers will be better positioned to become America’s next hope on the Grand Prix grid.