Former IndyCar driver Colton Herta makes his Formula 2 debut this year. The 25-year-old American signed with the new Cadillac team last year but was not immediately included in the race lineup. Instead he was redirected to Formula 2, where he can first earn his stripes on the European circuits. Cadillac sets realistic targets and hopes for a top-ten placing, but Herta himself is already targeting the big prize.
When it became known that Cadillac would enter Formula 1, the outfit opted for a strong American presence. Senior figures also talked about a lineup with at least one American driver. Herta’s name came up repeatedly, but in the end CEO Dan Towriss and team principal Graeme Lowdon set their sights on F1 experience. Veterans Sergio Pérez and Valtteri Bottas — together good for well over five hundred Grands Prix and seventeen victories — were both offered contracts.
Herta had to settle for a reserve role, yet he still said farewell to IndyCar. In 2026 he will debut with Hitech GP in Formula 2 to prepare himself for the road to Formula 1. Cadillac lays out clear expectations: “Actually, I expect Colton to finish in the top ten in Formula 2,” Towriss told Motorsport-Total. “The main thing is for him to learn the tracks and the tyres and to continue his development towards Formula 1. He will spend a lot of time in the simulator and do free practice running; it’s about much more than just his F2 results. We look at the overall picture to judge whether he’s ready.”
‘Compete to win’
Herta, however, doesn’t do half measures. Asked about Towriss’s remarks, he made clear he’s targeting the Formula 2 title. “In everything I enter, I want to be competitive and perform strongly,” he responded, combative. “If the goal isn’t to win, I don’t see why you’d do it. That’s my mentality. Whether it’s realistic or not, I don’t know; time will tell. But I don’t think hoping for a qualifying inside the top 15 is the right approach. I want to be as quick as possible, lead sessions, take pole positions and win races. We’ll see how tough that turns out to be.”
The opening F2 test days in Barcelona were encouraging. Across the three days he consistently finished in the top ten, with a fourth place on the final day as an outlier. Herta obviously brings IndyCar experience — he’s already recorded nine races — but he downplays the advantage that gives him. “The benefit isn’t as big as people think,” he continued. “At this stage of your career, whether you’re 18 or 25, you’re almost fully developed. You can tweak small details along the way, but in terms of raw speed you’re already close to your maximum potential. That said, it’s obviously nice to bring that experience with you.”
