For years, Colton Herta’s name has been synonymous with “America’s next Formula 1 driver,” a label he’s grown weary of wearing. Despite numerous connections to F1 opportunities—first with Andretti’s push for an F1 entry, then with a failed AlphaTauri deal due to superlicence issues, and now with Cadillac’s anticipated 2026 F1 debut—Herta is ready to let the speculation rest.
The Endless F1 “Carrot”
During IndyCar’s media day, Herta, the 2024 IndyCar runner-up, was once again bombarded with questions about his potential F1 future. His response was polite but tinged with exhaustion:
“I’ve kind of been dragged around in this talk for, it feels like, half a decade now,” he admitted. “I’m kind of tired of that being the case, and I just want to drive at this point and focus on IndyCar.”
Herta, who would need to finish fourth in the 2025 IndyCar standings to secure the necessary superlicence points, dismissed any added pressure. “If it happens, great, and I’ll have a decision to make. If it doesn’t happen, poor me, I’m stuck racing IndyCars. I’ll be alright either way.”
Cadillac’s F1 Vision and Herta’s Role
Michael Andretti has long championed Herta as an F1 prospect, but his recent step back from leading Cadillac’s F1 project has left Herta’s candidacy less certain. Mario Andretti, still a director on the project, continues to tout Herta’s potential, but Cadillac has been mum on whether he remains their top choice.
Options to expedite Herta’s superlicence approval include arranging FP1 sessions with other teams on non-IndyCar weekends or after the IndyCar season ends in August. However, even assuming a 2026 F1 debut, Herta would be 25—older than the average rookie.
Herta remains unfazed: “I don’t really have a concern with it at all. It’s still not a ‘for sure’ thing. All my friends and family are here in the US… it’s a big decision to make, if I have to make that decision.”
Kyle Kirkwood: A Different Perspective
Herta’s Andretti teammate Kyle Kirkwood echoed a similar sentiment but with a more tempered enthusiasm. Kirkwood, who outperformed Herta in 2023 and finished seventh in 2024, acknowledged the allure of F1 but emphasized his satisfaction with IndyCar.
“Of course it would be of interest,” Kirkwood said. “But I love what I do here in IndyCar. It keeps me in the US, it keeps me at the place where I grew up.”
Kirkwood, like Herta, values IndyCar’s uniquely American identity and the lifestyle it affords. “It’s give and take in either direction,” he added. “Of course I’m interested, but I wouldn’t be upset if I wasn’t given the opportunity.”
The Bigger Picture: F1’s Elusive American Star
Herta’s prolonged association with F1 reflects the sport’s ongoing search for an American driver to bridge the gap between its growing U.S. fanbase and on-track representation. But the path has been fraught with challenges, from superlicence hurdles to the cultural and logistical realities of moving abroad.
For now, Herta is focusing on what he can control: chasing an IndyCar championship. “I just want to focus on IndyCar this year and focus on winning,” he said. Whether or not F1’s “carrot” ever materializes, Herta seems content with his place as one of IndyCar’s brightest stars.