– Colton Herta has laid his cards on the table: The Cadillac test driver has now explained why he has temporarily put his successful IndyCar Series career on hold to chase his Formula 1 dream. According to Herta, the opportunity with the new US team was simply too good to pass up.
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The Californian, who is currently competing in Formula 2 alongside his testing duties with Cadillac, has been a topic in the premier class multiple times in the past. However, discussions with Sauber and AlphaTauri – now Racing Bulls – never led to the desired success.
The long road across the big pond
When Cadillac joined the Formula 1 grid as the eleventh team for the 2026 season, Herta drew a line under his eight-year IndyCar career. His record in the most popular US single-seater series is impressive: nine wins, 19 podiums, 16 pole positions, and second place overall in 2024.
When asked in the Podcast Beyond The Grid if it was easy for him to turn his back on the IndyCar stage, Herta responded with his usual thoughtfulness.
“When I was growing up, the first race I ever attended – I was only two weeks old – was an IndyCar race. As soon as I got a bit older and learned more about other motorsports, my second interest was IMSA, because my father raced there in 2006 and 2007.”
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The addictive nature of Formula 1
“These cars really interested me back then,” the US driver continued. “I only discovered Formula 1 a little later, around nine or ten years old, but then the addiction immediately took hold.”
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Herta emphasizes that his heart generally beats for racing: “I’m simply a motorsport fan. There are so many cars I absolutely want to drive. At the top of my personal list, IndyCars and Formula 1 are on the same level for me.”
The chance to now actively work towards achieving his goal makes him beam: “To have this opportunity, to make it there and achieve the goal of ‘Formula 1 driver’ – that was a great chance for me. It was very easy for me to say yes to that.”
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