Andretti Global IndyCar star Colton Herta is in the spotlight as new entrant Cadillac F1 gears up to storm the grid in 2026.
With F1 legend Mario Andretti – a director of the General Motors- affiliated outfit – naming Herta as a prime candidate for a seat with the US outfit, you’d think the Californian would be chomping at the bit to trade Indy ovals for Monaco’s twists and turns.
And yet Herta is pumping the brakes, torn between his IndyCar roots and the siren call of F1 glory.
Cadillac’s American Ace?
Cadillac’s F1 project, owned and managed by TWG Motorsport, is all about planting the Stars and Stripes back in Formula 1, where no full-time American driver has raced since Scott Speed in 2007.
Herta, with an abundance of natural ability and a trophy case that includes being IndyCar’s youngest-ever winner in 2019, fits the bill perfectly.
Mario Andretti has got his eye on the prize, and Herta is likely to rack up enough superlicense points by season’s end to qualify for F1.
But here’s the kicker: Herta’s not ready to ditch his IndyCar crew just yet.
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“I’d be leaving a great group of people I really like working with, so it’s not a sure thing for me,” commented the 24-year-old, quoted by Motorsport.com.
“It’s not an easy decision, just to be like, ‘Alright, see you guys later.’
“I’d be giving up an opportunity of maybe never working with these people again.”
That’s no small potatoes for Herta who has been a force with Andretti Global, and walking away from a team that’s got him in championship contention? That’s a gearshift he’s not rushing to make.
Chasing the IndyCar Crown
Herta’s got unfinished business in IndyCar, and he’s not shy about it. After finishing second to Alex Palou in 2024, he’s hungry – famished, even – for that top spot.
“It really sucks to finish second,” he admitted, reflecting on last season. “As nice as it is for that being my highest place, it really sucks to be that close and not do it.”
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IndyCar’s St. Petersburg 2025 opener last weekend showed his grit – qualifying second behind Scott McLaughlin – but a sluggish pit stop sent him spinning to 16th.
Still, his sights are locked on the prize: “You need to get that championship, and this year is no different. That’s what we’re working for.”
Dan Towriss, the big boss at Andretti Global and TWG Motorsport, is all in on Herta’s focus.
“I think really what that shows you is how focused he is and how present he is in IndyCar, and so I love that,” Towriss said.
“That’s exactly the answer that I would want Colton to give me. We are locked in on the goals for this year.”
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Towriss knows Herta’s got the chops—after all, a few tweaks from last season, and that championship could’ve been his.
“He’s worked hard in the offseason, the team has had a great offseason, and he wants it bad,” Towriss added. F1? It’s barely a blip on Herta’s radar right now.
At the end of the day, sure, F1’s glitz is tempting, but walking away from a shot at IndyCar immortality? That’s a gamble even this speed demon’s not sure he’s ready to take.
So, will Herta stick to the ovals or chase the global stage? For now, he’s keeping his foot on the IndyCar gas, eyes on the championship prize.
But with Cadillac’s engines revving in the distance, 2026 could be the year America’s next racing hero shifts gears – or stays right where he belongs. Buckle up—this story’s got plenty of laps left to run!
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