Colton Herta seems to be drifting further away from his Formula 1 goal, to the point where even he no longer knows if making the leap is still realistic
Colton Herta admits that he doesn’t yet know what the future holds for him in the 2027 season. The American had left his long-time home in the IndyCar Series to make the leap to Formula 2, where he hoped to earn the points needed for a Super License so he could fulfill his dream of racing in Formula 1 with Cadillac—at least, that was the plan.
But the reality for the 26-year-old is sobering: In 18 races, he never finished higher than fifth, leaving him currently in 16th place overall. Not only does this yield no points toward the Super License, but it’s also unlikely to convince Cadillac that he’s the right choice for the team.
As a result, other names are currently being mentioned, such as Ferrari junior Rafael Camara, who is rumored to be an option—even though Managing Director Dan Towriss emphasizes that the speculation is “unfounded.”
For Herta, however, things don’t look good when it comes to a promotion in 2027. “As far as me and my goals are concerned: I want to get into Formula 1, and I want to get there as quickly as possible,” he says. But: “So far, no one has told me anything, and I simply don’t know how realistic that is.”
ON THE FINAL LAP!
Colton Herta locks up and runs wide at Turn 5, ruining his chances for a maiden F2 podium… F2 BarcelonaGP pic.twitter.com/USBBLXxUSO
— Formula 2 (@Formula2) June 13, 2026
For now, he will stick to his scheduled appearances in Friday practice sessions. After his debut in Barcelona, the American last took the wheel for his second outing in Hungary before the summer break, where, by his own account, he already felt significantly more comfortable than he did the first time.
“I think it’s just a matter of knowing a little more about what the car wants or needs and how it wants to be driven,” he says. “All these cars have small differences that ensure everything comes together in the end.”
“I was flying a bit blind before and trying to figure that out. Knowing a little more about how the car works helps enormously. It gives me a better feel for it,” said Herta.
“When you only have an hour, it literally feels like everything is flying by extremely fast in the car. It feels as if you’ve only been in it for five minutes. You get out and immediately think, ‘Ah, I should have done that’ or ‘I should have done that differently.’
”So yes, I think everyone would say: If you get a second chance behind the wheel, you’ll do better. And in my case, that would undoubtedly have meant quite a big step forward.”
Herta will get two more opportunities to participate in free practice this season. Whether Cadillac plans to continue working with the former IndyCar driver beyond that depends on him and his performance—and that needs to improve significantly.
