Colton Herta rules out another Formula 2 season, but his F1 path fades

Herta’s superlicence push loses momentum

Colton Herta has made it clear that he does not want to spend another season in Formula 2, as his hopes of securing the FIA superlicence points required for a future Formula 1 opportunity continue to recede.

The Monza weekend underlined the scale of the challenge. Herta crashed in practice, qualified 20th and then became stranded in the gravel during the Sprint. His lack of mileage in FP1 the following weekend further complicated an already difficult attempt to accumulate the necessary points.

The latest setback follows a season in which Hitech has struggled generally. Herta’s team-mate Ritomo Miyata is only 12th in the championship, but Herta’s comments suggest that changing teams within F2 is not his preferred solution.

‘No interest’ in another F2 campaign

Asked by German publication F1 Insider whether he had an update on his future, Herta replied: “Not at the moment. And I don’t know when that will be.”

When the possibility of remaining in F2 was put to him, he was more definitive: “I think we’ll have to wait and see. But I have no interest in another year of Formula 2.”

Herta said he would continue to follow the championship from outside the cockpit as it prepares to introduce a new car for the 2027 season, featuring reprofiled front and rear wings. He described F2 as a series he has watched for around a decade and said his own experience had increased his respect for its drivers and the level at which they operate.

As the championship moves on from Monza, its upcoming Madrid weekend will be a key point of focus; see our Formula 2 Madrid preview for the next-round build-up.

IndyCar remains a possible reset

A move to F1 next year appears unlikely even if Herta reaches the superlicence threshold. Cadillac are not expected to alter their driver line-up, while stronger applicants may be available for any opening, including Yuki Tsunoda, who has shown interest.

Herta, however, is not concerned about returning to IndyCar. The nine-time race winner said he was confident in his level there and did not expect adapting to its 2028 car concept to be a problem.

“I think it’s pretty clear what level I’m at in IndyCar,” Herta said. “Therefore, I don’t think it would be a problem to get back in and adapt.”