Colton Herta, the 25-year-old driver transitioning to the 2026 Formula 2 Championship, has been assigned a top 10 finish by Cadillac CEO Dan Towriss. However, Herta openly rejects that as his ultimate objective, emphasizing that his true ambition is to win races and secure pole positions rather than settle for a mid-field result. As he prepares to compete alongside his Hitech team and serve as a Cadillac F1 test driver, Herta’s mindset firmly centers on striving for victory rather than meeting modest expectations.
Herta on the Challenge of Meeting Cadillac’s Expectations
Having accumulated nine IndyCar victories and experience in IMSA, Herta understands the importance of competitiveness in racing. When asked about Cadillac’s aim of a top 10 finish in F2, he said,
“If the goal isn’t to win, I don’t really see why you would do it. That’s my mindset.”
He remains uncertain how achievable this aspiration is but insists on maintaining a winning mentality over a cautious approach. In his words,
“Everything that I hop into, I want to be competitive, and I want to be strong,”
and
“So for me, I want to be as quick as possible. I want to lead sessions, I want to win pole, I want to win races. But, I guess time will tell how difficult that is.”
During preseason testing in Barcelona, Herta showed promising pace by improving from ninth on day two to fourth by the end of testing, signaling his determination to exceed the top 10 target early on.
Experience Versus Youth: Herta’s Approach in Formula 2
Despite his extensive background in top-level motorsport, Herta downplays the advantage his age and prior experience may offer in the highly competitive F2 environment. He remarked,
“I don’t think it’s as much of an advantage as people might think,”
explaining that drivers in this stage of their career, whether 18 or 25, tend to have reached near-maximum outright pace, though experience still provides some benefits. His teammate, Ritomo Miyata, competing in his third F2 season and bringing valuable insight, will play a crucial role in his adaptation and performance. Herta noted,
“I think what’s very helpful is having Ritomo as a teammate also, with a lot of F2 experience. I think it’s going to be very helpful for me this year.”
Broader Role with Cadillac and Formula 1 Involvement
Beyond F2 results, Herta’s readiness for Formula 1 will also be assessed through his involvement in Cadillac’s F1 program. Alongside racing, he will gain critical track time through simulator sessions and scheduled FP1 appearances during the 2026 F1 season, marking Cadillac’s debut on the grid. He said,
“Seat time in an F1 car is probably going to be the most important thing to get me ready for Formula 1!”
Though the schedule for these FP1 runs is uncertain and currently a lower priority for the team, Herta expressed enthusiasm, adding,
“But it’s very exciting to see them testing. I think talking to a lot of people, they’re very happy with how it’s going. I think they’ve seen some bumps along the way, but they’re very excited about the progress.”
Looking Ahead to the 2026 Racing Season
The 2026 Formula 2 season will commence alongside the Formula 1 calendar at Albert Park, with the opening sprint race on March 7 and the feature race scheduled for March 8. Herta’s goal of outright competitiveness and wins in F2 aligns with his broader ambition to accelerate his path toward Formula 1 success. His strong preseason test performances and commitment to excellence position him as a driver to watch throughout the upcoming campaign, as he balances the demands of F2 competition with his evolving role within Cadillac’s Formula 1 program.
