Cadillac F1 program has been eyeing Herta for the reason that starting

The long-awaited acceptance of Cadillac coming into the head of motorsport because the eleventh group at the F1 grid for 2026 has presented extra questions, together with what doable motive force lineup might seem like. Mario Andretti, the 1978 F1 Champion who was once just lately named a director at the board for the GM racing program, was once fast to substantiate that the 24-year-old Colton Herta, new off completing runner-up for the 2024 IndyCar name, because the sunny frontrunner.

“From the beginning of this project, the team always looked at the prospect of Colton Herta to be one of the drivers,” Andretti instructed Motorsport.com.

“As far as I know, this is something we had not discussed lately because there’s time, that still remains a priority. I’m sure that’s the direction he would like to go. He trained there. He raced alongside the likes of, just to say one, Lando Norris, who is obviously very prominent now with McLaren. And so, he is from that era, if you will, still, young and vibrant and ready to go.”

And the plan, thus far, is to position a veteran along Herta in the second one seat, even though, there’s modest sprint to fasten somebody ill. 

Colton Herta, checking out the McLaren MCL35M at Portimao in 2022.

Photograph through: McLaren

Herta’s title has been flirted with F1 seats within the generation, however FIA Tremendous License issues had been a hindrance to attaining that after step. An allotment of 40 issues is wanted, however the FIA additionally takes into consideration coming in both the three-year length previous the yr of software or the two-year length previous the yr of software along with the issues amassed within the yr of software. 

According to that, Herta these days sits at 32 issues overall over the extreme 3 seasons: 30 for completing 2nd within the 2024 championship, at the side of one level each and every of the former two years upcoming completing tenth on each events. That leaves the California local wanting to complete fourth or higher in after yr’s championship, or 5th or higher and working an F1 apply consultation — which awards some extent following the of entirety of 100km, with a most of 10 issues to be had for attention.

Bearing in mind that Herta has earlier run in a TPC (checking out earlier automotive) with McLaren at Portimão in 2022, founding a dating with a group to get him seat while in an F1 independent apply trip isn’t out of the query.

“Yeah, I think all those options are open, quite honestly,” Andretti mentioned. “There’s a way of finding that. I think the point system obviously, we need to be aware of what the demands are, but I think that’s achievable even with him, obviously, having some better luck in IndyCar. I’m sure if he’d have won the championship this year, he would’ve been home free in that respect. Nevertheless, I don’t think that’s a thing of real concern. Honestly, I think that it’s close enough that it’s doable.”