Colton Herta: F1 closer to IndyCar than F2 amid rookie struggles

Colton Herta has delivered a blunt assessment of his rookie Formula 2 season, admitting it falls well short of the standard needed to secure a Cadillac Formula 1 race seat in 2027. Currently 17th in the standings with just 20 points, the American is struggling to adapt his IndyCar-honed craft to the junior category ahead of his second F1 practice outing with Cadillac at the Hungarian Grand Prix. In a revealing comparison, Herta argued that Formula 1 machinery actually shares more similarities with IndyCar than the unique, unforgiving nature of the F2 car.

Why it matters:

Cadillac F1 CEO Dan Towriss set Herta a top-10 championship target in F2, yet he remains 17th in the standings, 10 points behind teammate Ritomo Miyata. His comments underscore the difficulty of transitioning from IndyCar to Europe's junior ladder, raising questions about whether F2 adequately prepares American veterans for the step to Formula 1.

The details:

• Herta pinpointed qualifying as his "Achilles' heel," noting that his race pace has consistently outperformed his single-lap speed.
• He described the F2 car as "almost like a GT car," explaining that unlike IndyCar and F1 machinery, it punishes aggressive inputs and cannot be forced beyond its limits.
• The American identified Pirelli tyre sensitivity as a major hurdle, stating that any mistake is punished instantly, requiring a fundamentally different approach from his IndyCar style.
• Despite the F2 struggles, Herta sees value in his IndyCar experience for racecraft, particularly on starts and opening laps.

What's next:

Herta will return to the Cadillac cockpit for FP1 in Hungary, with two additional outings expected later in the 2026 season as he builds toward a potential 2027 race seat. While no formal discussions about next year have taken place, strong performances in remaining FP1 sessions and any late-season F2 revival could prove decisive in Cadillac's driver deliberations.