Colton Herta may be about to abandon the dream of reaching Formula 1. According to information from GPblog, the American is considering returning to the United States after a complicated season in Formula 2 in 2026.
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Herta, 26, left IndyCar, where he was considered one of the top drivers in the category, to compete in F2 this year with high expectations. With support from Cadillac, the intention was to score enough points to obtain the super license, and later, reach the F1 grid.
The plan, however, suffered a major setback. At the Hitech team, Herta apparently could not adapt to the European racing style and spent much of the season in the back positions of the pack. Furthermore, he was unable to score enough points in F2 to secure the super license, which is necessary to race in Formula 1.
The situation could become even more complicated at the end of the year, when 30 points will be deducted from his score. This would make it even harder for Herta to meet the requirements to compete in F1 in 2027. Given this scenario, the driver is seriously considering a return to the USA and aiming again for a spot on the IndyCar grid.
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There are still some spots available in the North American category for the next season, but only in smaller teams that have not yet fully defined their lineups for 2027. According to information, Jak Crawford has been mentioned in the F1 paddock as a possible replacement for Herta in the Cadillac program. The American already holds the super license and currently works as a test and reserve driver at Aston Martin.
Cadillac would like to have an American driver associated with the team alongside Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas. At least so far, the team has not wanted to comment on rumors involving Herta’s situation.
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