Colton Herta: F1 hopes depend on 2025 IndyCar results

With teams now permitted to begin 2026 development, Cadillac officially enter the F1 development race. As the US outfit begins its preparations, their driver line-up is still unknown – and will largely depend on Colton Herta’s upcoming IndyCar campaign.

Herta works to avoid 2022 near-miss

Colton Herta almost clinching a contract with VCARB (then AlphaTauri) in 2022 is a fact often overlooked in F1 circles.

The American driver was Red Bull’s first choice to replace Pierre Gasly, who was departing to Alpine.

However, a lack of Super License points meant Herta was unable to join the grid. This left the door open for Nyck de Vries to capitalise and take the seat.

Two and a half years later, there is a new opportunity for Herta to enter Formula 1.

In what can be described as a best-case scenario for the American, GM/Cadillac’s application to join the grid was successful.

Following months of negotiations and uncertainty, the project kick-started by the Andretti’s got across the line. Although the Andretti name is no longer front and centre of the project, Mario Andretti still enjoys significant influence – having been appointed as director of the board.

Near the top of the shortlist

Speaking of Andretti, the F1 Champion has made no secret of his admiration for Herta:

There’s another year to go on, so you have to keep an open mind,” he told GPBlog.

“But I am, yes. I’m a supporter of Colton [Herta] because of his experience.

“I mean, he’s raced at a young age alongside Lando Norris, individuals like that who are obviously a prominent in Formula One now. And his experience is vast.

“He spent three years in Europe, he has a good feel for the circuits and so forth.

“He did a phenomenal test at Portimao in Portugal, last year for McLaren. And it’s really interesting what he’s capable of in a Formula 1 car.”

What Herta needs to do

Colton Herta currently sits on 31 Super License points, which is 9 short of the 40 necessary to earn a full-time F1 seat.

Luckily for the 24-year-old, securing the necessary points is certainly a realistic goal. Should he finish this year’s IndyCar Championship in 4th or above, he will surpass 40 points on his Super License.

If he falls slightly short of this, finishing 5th in the standings, he will receive an additional 8 Super License points.

In this scenario, completing 100km in a Free Practice session will grant him an extra point – thus getting him across the line.

After finishing 10th in the 2022 and 2023 IndyCar seasons, Herta rebounded to finish 2nd overall in last year’s campaign.

With this in mind, a top 4 finish in 2025 is within the American’s reach. To be clear, he is not guaranteed a seat with Cadillac F1. There are still many variables that could impact the US outfit’s decision-making.

Still, considering that Cadillac want an American driver, the 24-year-old is a highly suitable contender.

As other big names like Valtteri Bottas fight for an F1 comeback, there will be no shortage of competition in the coming months.

A strong campaign in IndyCar won’t just give Colton Herta the necessary License points, but it will also boost his overall value in the market. Considering how unpredictable F1’s “silly season” can be, this is critical.

Multiple accomplished drivers could become free agents over the course of 2025 – thus giving Cadillac more options.

For the time being though, Herta must focus on putting together a strong IndyCar campaign.