top of page

Herta: Cadillac F1 opportunity “a big decision”

Writer's picture: Archie O’ReillyArchie O’Reilly

Written by Archie O'Reilly


Credit: Joe Skibinski
Credit: Joe Skibinski

Colton Herta has described the prospect of driving for the new Cadillac Formula One team in 2026 as “a big decision” to make as he nears his 100th IndyCar start in the 2025 season opener.


Herta, who turns 25 years old at the end of March, has been linked to one of the two seats currently vacant for the General Motors-backed effort led by Dan Towriss, who recently took control of Herta’s Andretti Global IndyCar team from Michael Andretti.


Herta previously alluded to some worry about reaching “the highest age” to compete in F1 with a non-Andretti team. But for a Cadillac entry that has stemmed from Andretti’s work prior to Andretti stepping back as the figurehead of the operation, that opportunity could yet arise in 2026 for the American driver.


“I don’t really have a concern with it at all,” Herta said. “I’ve kind of been dragged around in this talk for, it feels like, half a decade now. I’ve had the carrot in front of me for a while. I’m kind of tired of that being the case.


“I just want to drive at this point and focus on IndyCar this year and focus on winning a championship. And if something arises out of that, I’d have to think about it. It’s still not a for-sure thing. 


“All my friends and family are here in the US and I don’t know anybody where I’m going, so it’s a big decision to make if I have to make that decision.”


Credit: James Black
Credit: James Black

It is believed that Herta will have to finish fourth or better in the IndyCar standings in 2025 to guarantee a Super License to grant him entry into F1. 


The nine-time IndyCar race winner finished a career best second in the standings in 2024, jumping eight places from successive 10th-place results the two years prior. Herta also finished third in the championship as a sophomore in his first year with Andretti in 2020.


“I didn’t even know what the math was to get a super license,” Herta said. “If it happens, it happens, great. And then I’ll have a decision to make if I’m still wanted. If it doesn’t happen, then poor me, I’m stuck racing Indy cars. I’ll be alright either way.”


The supposed desire for Cadillac to recruit an American driver for its lineup also leads to the thought of Herta’s Andretti teammate Kyle Kirkwood, who is 26 and heading into his third season with the team, as an option. Kirkwood would not say no.


“Only time will tell,” he said. “But for me, of course it would be of interest. At the same time, I love what I do here in IndyCar. It’s what I always aspired to be, an INDYCAR driver. It keeps me in the US, it keeps me at the place where I grew up. 


“I was born and raised in Jupiter, Florida and I still live in Jupiter, Florida. And I love that about IndyCar, it keeps Americans at home. It’s give and take in either direction. Of course I’m interested but I wouldn’t be upset if I wasn’t given the opportunity.”


Credit: Chris Jones
Credit: Chris Jones

There had also been reports that Andretti driver Marcus Ericsson, who ran 97 F1 races across five years between 2024 and 2025, had been helping Cadillac with some simulator work. That, according to Ericsson, was misunderstood information.


“I think that was a bit of a misunderstanding that came out of Sweden,” he said. “I was asked by Andretti Global to help out with some evaluation of simulators for the organisation. I didn't have anything to do with the Cadillac thing really. 


“It was more Andretti Global that wanted me to try some simulators for future ideas on simulators basically. Then I think some people in Sweden connected that with Cadillac F1 and it became a thing. It was simply working for Andretti and trying to help on that side.”


Moving forward for the Andretti IndyCar team, there has been the restructure seemingly linked to the Cadillac F1 effort. But with Towriss, CEO of Group 1001, a key partner of Andretti Global, now in charge, the drivers are confident for the future.


“We only see it as positives within the team,” Kirkwood said. “Obviously Michael is still around. It’s not like he’s vanished. I think he’ll still play a role in the team. And for us, obviously I have that connection with not only Michael but with everybody on the team. 


“I think we’re excited to go forward and obviously Dan and Michael have a plan. And their plan seems to be coming together, so we’re excited.”

Comments


bottom of page