COLTON HERTA RULES OUT ANOTHER F2 SEASON AS F1 FUTURE BECOMES UNCERTAIN
Colton Herta has ruled out racing in Formula 2 for a second season in 2027. The American driver, who is currently competing for Hitech while also serving as a test driver for Cadillac’s Formula 1 team, said his plans for next year are still not decided but made it clear that he does not want to remain in F2. “I think we’ll have to wait and see, but I have no interest in another year of Formula 2,” Herta told F1-Insider.
Herta’s first F2 season has been difficult. With three rounds of the championship remaining, he is 19th in the standings with 26 points and has not yet finished on the podium. His best result so far is fifth place in the Barcelona Sprint, while his other points finish came with seventh place in the Spa Feature Race.
The American said the level of the F2 field was never a surprise to him. Herta has raced against several drivers who have built successful careers in F2 and others who later moved to IndyCar, so he already knew how competitive the category would be. His main frustration has been his difficulty finding the pace needed to fight at the front on a regular basis.
Herta’s move to F2 was closely connected to his goal of reaching Formula 1. After finishing second in the 2024 IndyCar championship, he moved back to Europe for 2026 and joined Hitech. At the same time, he became part of Cadillac’s F1 programme as a test driver. The plan gave him the opportunity to gain experience in an F1 car while also trying to improve his position for a future Super Licence.
Cadillac had planned four FP1 appearances for Herta during the 2026 F1 season. His first official practice session came at the Spanish Grand Prix, with three further sessions planned during the year. These sessions were intended to give Herta more experience with the F1 car and help him work directly with Cadillac’s new F1 operation.
The Super Licence remains an important part of Herta’s situation. Drivers need to meet the FIA’s requirements before they can race in Formula 1, and Herta entered the 2026 season without enough points to guarantee eligibility. His move to F2 was therefore also an attempt to collect the additional points needed for an F1 seat.
Herta’s F2 campaign has made that path more difficult. His season was also interrupted in Madrid, where he missed both races after a crash in qualifying and continuing to feel unwell. Hitech confirmed that he would not take part in either the Sprint or Feature Race at the event.
Despite the difficult F2 results, Herta has continued to drive Cadillac’s F1 car during the season. His FP1 programme has included appearances in Barcelona, Budapest and Monza, although his Monza session ended early because of a hydraulic problem. That limited running also affected his plans to gain further Super Licence points through F1 practice mileage.
Herta has also pointed out that an F2 car and an F1 car require different driving approaches. He said the areas where a driver searches for lap time and the way the car is pushed are different between the two categories, meaning he does not see his F2 results as a direct measure of what he could achieve in an F1 car.
For 2027, Herta has not confirmed whether he will return to IndyCar or pursue another category. He has previously said that he remains interested in driving the next-generation IndyCar when the new car arrives, but there is currently no confirmed programme for him beyond the end of his F2 season.
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