On March 24, 2019, 18‑year‑old Colton Herta became the youngest IndyCar victor at COTA, delivering Harding Steinbrenner Racing its maiden win.
The triumph launched a solid Andretti tenure, though the championship and Indy 500 have so far slipped from his grasp.
When a late F1 opening appeared, Herta swapped a comfy IndyCar seat for a Cadillac test programme, mixing practice runs with private tests and a stint in Formula 2 to amass European mileage and super‑license points.
That gamble has stalled; he sits 19th with 26 points, his last score for Hitech coming at the Belgian round before the summer hiatus.
With the calendar still potentially ending in Qatar and Abu Dhabi, the Californian says the season leaves him with more questions than answers.
“I’m just disappointed with how the year’s gone. It’s not been good at all,” the 26‑year‑old admitted.
Colton Herta with Hitech.
The scramble for extra super‑license points pushed Herta and Cadillac into FP1 at COTA, giving him a full‑circle moment as he piloted an F1 car on the very track of his 2019 IndyCar breakthrough.
Calling Friday’s FP1 his season highlight isn’t a stretch; with F2 woes set aside and future doubts lingering, he soaked up the experience.
“It was very enjoyable,” Herta said. “Being back home, in front of the crowd, with Cadillac felt super special. It’s been seven years since IndyCar visited, but the vibe’s still strong, and progress is clear.”
Looking back to 2019, he recalled, “That was where it all began. In my third IndyCar start I qualified third, undercut a few, caught a lucky yellow and took the lead with ten laps left. Our tiny Harding Steinbrenner squad snagged two wins.”
COTA’s layout hasn’t shifted much, yet the Cadillac Herta drove Friday bore little resemblance to the aging DW12. He noted, “In IndyCar we use feet for brake markers, so the feel differs, and the speeds are higher, honestly.” For my money, Herta’s best shot at F1 lies in securing those super‑license points now.
“The racing lines stay similar, and the approach to attack the track mirrors IndyCar, but the car itself feels distinct. In low‑speed sections the technique aligns, which helps the learning curve,” he added.
Colton Herta at Austin 2019
Acting as a test mule, Herta completed 21 laps in the MAC‑26, finishing 21st, 3.9 seconds off the leader, while conducting aero experiments aimed at shaping the 2027 development plan. “I do whatever they ask,” he said. “We spent half the session on aero runs, then did a short and a long stint.”
“The car always feels blisteringly fast, the laps fly by, yet everything unfolded as planned. Timings were spot on, so the run went exactly as we wanted, and I was pleased,” he noted.
The outing left Herta teetering on the edge of an FIA super‑license. Years of chasing the paper—since Red Bull‑run AlphaTauri showed interest in 2022—have left him weary, but another practice run later this year could push him over the 40‑point mark.
“Honestly, I’m not sure where I stand, but I believe I’m close,” he admitted. “It’s taken years of worry, and now I let the team handle the details.”
His F2 setbacks likely won’t decide his F1 destiny. Even as team boss Marcin Budkowski left Valtteri Bottas’s seat beside Sergio Perez ambiguous, Herta remains intent on achieving his F1 goal.
“My aim is still to reach Formula 1 as soon as possible with Cadillac, GM and TWG—that’s where I belong. I’m focused on getting there quickly,” Herta declared, while not dismissing a possible F2 return if Cadillac keeps Bottas for another season or opts for an outsider.
Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez of Cadillac Racing
Spending a year as a reserve driver isn’t appealing. “I want a programme that gets me behind a race car at least a few times each year,” Herta said.
“I’m entering the prime phase of my career. Nobody can race forever, even though Fernando Alonso at 45 makes a strong case,” he observed.
“These years are critical, and I refuse to sit idle. I want a seat—partial or full‑time—somewhere in the world. I hope to lock down a program soon,” he added.
Photos from the F1 United States Grand Prix – Saturday
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– The Team