Colton Herta’s Big Gamble: IndyCar Star Going “Back to School” in F2
IndyCar veteran Colton Herta is taking a huge risk with his racing career—and he knows it.
The 25-year-old American is leaving the familiar world of IndyCar after eight seasons to chase his Formula 1 dreams through a surprising detour: signing with Hitech GP for a Formula 2 season.
“It’s back to school,” Herta told F1 TV’s James Hinchcliffe. “It’s back to learning a lot of basics.”
This isn’t just a casual career move. It’s a calculated gamble to prove he belongs in F1.
Herta will have to master completely different driving techniques to succeed in the European racing ladder.
“How you drive each Formula car, even though they look the same, they’re quite different, and the Formula 2 car is very different,” he explained.
The technical challenges are substantial. After nearly a decade mastering IndyCar’s unique demands, he’ll need to rebuild his driving style from the ground up.
“It’s back to basics – try to learn how I need to brake, how I need to get off the brake and back to throttle, managing the Pirelli tire, which are very different to our Firestones in IndyCar.”
His F2 season serves a crucial purpose beyond just competition—it’s his path to earning the FIA Super Licence points required for F1 eligibility.
Meanwhile, he’ll keep his connection to American motorsport through his testing role with Cadillac, which is making its own F1 entry next season.
## Fellow IndyCar Star Backing Herta’s Bold Move
The pressure on Herta will be enormous.
McLaren reserve driver Pato O’Ward, who’s competed against Herta in IndyCar since 2020, believes his rival has genuine F1 potential—but the entire IndyCar community will be watching his every move in Europe.
The American will be carrying the hopes of a nation that hasn’t had a full-time F1 driver since Alexander Rossi in 2015.
“There’s a lot of new stuff, but I’m excited for it,” Herta admitted. “There’s a lot of stuff that’s going to be new for me next year, but there’s a lot of stuff that I remember from my F3 days and my F4 days. It’s going to be exciting. It’s a big programme.”
At 25, Herta is making this jump significantly later than most F1 hopefuls—adding another layer of difficulty to an already challenging career pivot.
Will his IndyCar success translate to the very different world of Formula 2? The racing world can’t wait to find out.
