After years of ongoing speculation surrounding his FIA super licence, Colton Herta has finally made the move to Formula 2. He has had tremendous success in IndyCar over the last eight years, and he is determined to translate that success across to F2 this year. Hopefully, eventually to Formula 1. Hear what he had to say in the Feeder Series Media Roundtable earlier today in Melbourne.
After years in IndyCar, the young American was hoping to make the switch to Formula 1. However, he has not reached the required 40 licence points to make that leap. Fortunately, he currently has the backing of the new Cadillac F1 team as their Test Driver for 2026. With Cadillac’s support, he believes he has to succeed in F2 in order to finally get the illustrious seat in F1.
“I saw it as my last opportunity to get to Formula 1. I was super grateful for it, and I think there’s plenty of series that I want to race in and compete in. None that have the time constraints like Formula 1. So this really is probably my last shot at getting to it.”
When transitioning from one motorsport category to another, there is always a steep learning curve to overcome. Drivers are often cautious of this level-up and simply hope to have a consistent season with steady progress. This, however, is something Herta isn’t afraid of. The American has expressed his strong desire to produce wins as fast as possible.
“I expect myself to be good. I expect myself to be quick and contend for wins and podiums, and that’s always my goal when I get inside the race car. That’s kind of what drives me … and that’s what I need to do.”
New Year, New Everything…
The jump from F3 to F2 is often a tough one, with even the most successful F3 drivers not being able to get to grips with the car easily. For Herta, he not only has to deal with an entirely new car, but also a whole selection of new tracks. But Herta is well aware of this and ready to tackle it head-on.
“I think there’s going to be a lot of challenges coming from what I’ve done before, obviously a lot of new tracks, new car, new tyre, new engine, new country. But I think, like for me, the most important thing is to learn as much as I can outside the car … I really need to come into the car as prepared as possible and kind of cut down on that learning period”
Working with Miyata
Whilst Herta has strong ambitions for the upcoming season, he is aware that his teammate will be an integral part of his journey to success. Ritomo Miyata is set to take part in his third year in Formula 2, bringing a lot of knowledge with him.
“He’s going to be, I think, pivotal in my year, in my growth, in my production throughout the year … having a guy like that on race weekend that’s kind of been through the wringer. He’s going into his third season, so he knows the technique, he knows what to expect on race weekends, and he’s definitely going to be a good guy to kind of look at the data with … so there’s a whole bank of knowledge there to tap into for me.”
This weekend in Melbourne will be Colton Herta’s first official outing as an F2 driver. Will he live up to the expectations not only set by the media but also by himself?
Feature Image Credit: Hitech