Herta Rules Out Second F2 Season, Casting Doubt on Cadillac F1 Future

Colton Herta has ruled out a second Formula 2 season in 2027, casting doubt over his path to a Cadillac F1 seat. The American joined Hitech in F2 this year while handling development duties with Cadillac, but a difficult campaign has convinced him one season is enough.

Why it matters:

Cadillac has repeatedly signaled its ambition to field an American driver, with Herta long viewed as the leading candidate. His refusal to return to F2 removes a key stepping stone toward F1, leaving IndyCar as a more likely destination.

The details:

Herta sits 19th in the F2 standings with three rounds remaining, scoring points only once across his last 13 races. A qualifying crash in Madrid ruled him out of both races, adding to a season where consistent pace has proved elusive.

• He has driven the Cadillac F1 car in practice at Barcelona, Budapest and Monza.
• The Monza outing ended after one flying lap due to a hydraulic issue, costing him the 100km required for a Super Licence point. He believes he remains two points short of eligibility.

Herta made no attempt to hide his frustration: "Whatever I do and whatever series I drive in, I want to be competitive. It's simply frustrating when that's not the case."

Between the lines:

Herta insists his F2 form shouldn't be read as a direct indicator of his F1 potential, citing significant differences between the two cars. A return to the US remains a live option — he won nine IndyCar races before his switch — and he's keen to sample the category's new car in 2028.

What's next:

Another Cadillac practice outing is planned, though the Monza failure complicated that program. Herta's immediate focus is this weekend's expanded F2 format in Baku, featuring two qualifying sessions, a sprint race and two feature races.