Andretti Global’s Colton Herta has been linked to a potential Cadillac Formula One seat for the 2026 season, but this move will not come to fruition as he does not currently meet the requirements for a Formula One super license. The 25-year-old IndyCar driver must earn enough super license points to qualify, but circumstances suggest this may not happen before 2027.
The Roadblocks in Securing a Formula One Super License
To compete in Formula One, drivers need to accumulate at least 40 super license points across three seasons. Herta entered the 2025 season with 32 points. However, points from 2022 will expire after this season, meaning he must score at least nine additional points or finish fourth in the 2025 Drivers’ Championship to become eligible.
At the recent Milwaukee Mile race, Herta finished in eleventh place, and with just one race remaining in the season, he is sixth in the championship standings. He trails Christian Lundgaard, who holds fourth place with 426 points, by 74 points. Given that the maximum points available in the final race are 54, Herta cannot surpass Lundgaard’s total to claim fourth place. If Herta finishes sixth overall, he will end the season with 37 super license points, leaving him short of the required threshold until potentially 2027.
Insights from Herta on IndyCar’s Race Management and Strategy
Colton Herta recently discussed his experience at the Java House Grand Prix of Monterey, reflecting on the delayed caution call during Rinus VeeKay’s incident. The delay in the caution period caused some controversy after Kyle Kirkwood made contact with VeeKay, sending him off the track and into the runoff area. VeeKay faced local yellow flags while race control waited before issuing a broader caution.
In a post-race interview, Herta explained his perspective on IndyCar’s decision to keep the pits open as long as possible during such incidents. He stated:
“Yeah, they should keep it open as long — they should keep the pits open as long as they can and allow the leaders to pit at every opportunity. I think it’s not fair to be one of the faster ones and qualify well and have your day screwed by a yellow. It’s happened to everybody in this series. But when you run up at the front more consistently, it burns you more often. It’s something that I think is a real plus from INDYCAR. I think it’s fair, and I think it should continue to happen.”
—Colton Herta, IndyCar driver
Herta started the Monterey race in third and maintained that position through to the finish. With only one race left in the season, he aims to close out strongly despite the challenges in securing the necessary super license points.
Implications for Herta’s Formula One Aspirations
Although Colton Herta’s talent has sparked interest in his possible transition to Formula One with Cadillac in 2026, the super license point requirements present a significant obstacle. Without securing a top-four finish or enough points by the end of 2025, he will have to delay his F1 ambitions until at least 2027. This situation highlights the stringent measures Formula One imposes to ensure drivers meet performance standards before competing at the highest level.
As Herta continues to perform in IndyCar and pursue his career goals, the coming season finale will determine how soon he can fulfill the criteria for a Formula One super license and potentially join the sport.
