(Motorsport-Total.com) – Colton Herta admits that he still does not know how things will continue for him in the 2027 season. The American had left his longtime home in the IndyCar series to make the jump to Formula 2, where he wanted to earn the necessary points for the Super License to fulfill his dream of Formula 1 with Cadillac – at least that was the plan.
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But the reality looks sobering for the 26-year-old: In 18 races he never finished higher than fifth place, so he is currently only in 16th overall. This not only does not give points for the Super License, but probably does not exactly convince Cadillac that he is the right choice for the team.
Therefore, other names such as Ferrari junior Rafael Camara are currently emerging, who is rumored to be an option, even though CEO Dan Towriss emphasizes that the speculations are “unfounded.”
However, things do not look good for Herta regarding a promotion in 2027. “As far as I and my goals are concerned: I want to get into Formula 1 and I want to get there as quickly as possible,” he says. But: “So far, no one has told me anything, and I simply do not know how realistic that is.”
For now, the planned appearances in Friday practice remain. After his debut in Barcelona, the American recently sat in the car for his second stint before the summer break in Hungary, where he said he already felt significantly more comfortable than the first time.
“I think it’s just about knowing a little more about what the car wants or needs and how it wants to be driven,” he says. “All these cars have small differences that ensure that in the end everything meshes together.”
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“Before, I was kind of flying blind and trying to figure it out. Knowing a bit more about how the car ticks helps enormously. It gives me a better feeling,” says Herta.
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“When you only have an hour, it literally feels like everything is passing by extremely fast in the car. It feels like you’ve only been in for five minutes. You get out and immediately think: ‘Ah, I should have done it this way’ or ‘I should have done that differently.’
“So yes, I think everyone would say: If you get a second chance behind the wheel, you do it better. And in my case, that would undoubtedly have meant quite a big improvement.”
Herta will still get two more runs in free practice this season. Whether Cadillac plans to continue with the former IndyCar driver beyond that also depends on him and his performances – and those need to improve significantly.
Read more Colton Herta: Doesn’t know how realistic the Formula 1 promotion in 2027 is