INDIANAPOLIS — Colton Herta feels like he starts and ends each IndyCar season the same way — answering questions about his interest in Formula One.
He preferred to abandon the discussion, at least for now.
While the popular 24-year-old Californian may still dream of competing on racing’s top international stage, he explained during the first of two IndyCar media days on Tuesday that he’s solely focused on the 2025 season. Success, not whether you can move to Europe.
“I’ve been dragged around in this speech for what feels like five years and I’ve had to have it in front of me for a while. So I’m kind of tired of that,” Herta said. “I just want to drive right now, focus on IndyCar this year, focus on winning the championship. If anything goes wrong, I’ll think about it.”
Hertha are unlikely to put this rumor to rest so quickly or easily, especially now that the FIA has announced that it will add an 11th team, Cadillac F1, to the F1 circuit starting in 2026. Hertha has been the American driver closely associated with this endeavor.
Michael Andretti, IndyCar’s long-time owner and the flag bearer for the American F1 team, won’t be calling the shots. He withdrew from the bid in September, allowing Andretti Global’s majority shareholders Dan Towriss and Mark Walter to run motorsports.
Towriss, CEO and president of Group 1001, got into motorsports when his savings platform Gainbridge joined Andretti’s IndyCar team as a sponsor. Torres is now an important part of the motorsports community, with ownership stakes in Spire Motorsports’ NASCAR team and Wayne Taylor Racing’s sports car team.
Gainbridge also happens to be the primary sponsor of Herta’s No. 26 Honda.
However, before Hertha can be eligible to compete in F1, he will need to obtain an FIA super license, which is based in part on the points a driver has accumulated in his first three seasons.
Will he be eligible after this season? Maybe.
“I guess the answer is I don’t even know what the math is about getting a super license,” Herta said. “So if it happens, it happens and it’s great, I’m going to make a decision – if I if this is right If that doesn’t happen, I’ll just keep racing in IndyCar.”
Winning the IndyCar title is more than enough to earn a super license, and after six full seasons and 99 career starts in IndyCar, Hertha may be ready to take that giant leap.
Last season, he posted six top-five finishes and two wins in the final seven races, showing he was equally competitive on ovals, street and road courses, and jumped to second place in the final standings. Hertha are 31 points behind champions Alex Palau, who have won three of their past four titles.
Herta believes he might have had it if he hadn’t had crashes in Indianapolis and Detroit, or had a tire incident in Milwaukee or had bad luck in Iowa, pitting one lap before a yellow flag for a crash. That elusive title.
“I’m not happy. It’s really bad to finish second,” Herta said. “Although it’s good because it’s my best result, it’s really bad not to be able to do it so close.”
But Palu isn’t giving anything up.
He has overcome some self-inflicted disruptions, including contract issues, which team he will eventually join and questions about his own F1 hopes. However, he started the season chasing a three-peat.
“It takes a lot of hard work and the competition is really tough,” the Spaniard said.
“You’re battling multiple teams. We’ve done a lot of work on the short oval. It’s going to be fun. We only won two games last time out, so that shows how tough it is.”
Things aren’t going to get any easier as Hertha pursues his first series title and possibly a chance to race in F1 – even if he’s unwilling to discuss it.
“It’s not a sure thing,” Herta said. “All my friends and family are still in the United States and I don’t know where I’m going to go. So, if I have to make a decision, it’s a very, very big decision.”
