Colton Herta's F1 superlicence delayed by bizarre IndyCar standings error

Colton Herta arrived at the Mexico City Grand Prix expecting Friday practice to complete his 40-point superlicence total and clear the last hurdle for a Cadillac F1 seat. Instead, an IndyCar website error left him on 38 points, delaying the milestone until next week in Brazil.

Why it matters:

ESPN sources indicate Herta is in line to replace Valtteri Bottas at Cadillac next season, but the move depends on securing the FIA superlicence by the end of 2026. The delay is an awkward administrative stumble for a team that has invested heavily in the American driver’s path to F1.

The details:

• Herta earned 35 points from his last three IndyCar seasons: 10th in 2023, second in 2024 and seventh in 2025.
• Three FP1 outings — Barcelona, Budapest and Austin — added three more. His Monza run did not count because it fell short of the required 100km.
• Cadillac believed Herta had 39 points and needed only Mexico practice. The FIA had checked IndyCar’s website in June, where Herta was incorrectly listed sixth in the 2025 standings.
• Herta and Felix Rosenqvist actually tied on 372 points, but Rosenqvist took sixth on a tiebreak. IndyCar’s site was corrected this week to show Herta seventh. Official end-of-season documents had always listed him correctly, but the FIA did not check them.

What's next:

Herta should reach 40 points by completing 100km in FP1 in Brazil. A crash or mechanical failure would add jeopardy, though Cadillac could use another FP1 session in the final three races. “I’ll take it,” Herta said of more track time. The sooner he checks the box, the sooner Cadillac can formalize its 2026 line-up.