Cadillac’s 2026 F1 favourite “tired” of speculation over switch
"I’ve had the carrot in front of me for a while. I’m kind of tired of that being the case..."
Colton Herta has admitted he’s “tired” of the speculation surrounding his potential switch from IndyCar to F1.
Herta’s name has been constantly mentioned as a possible candidate to join the F1 grid in recent years.
The American driver came close in 2023 with AlphaTauri, but due to not having enough super licence points, the team ultimately opted for Nyck de Vries.
Herta has been heavily linked with Cadillac, which is expected to join the grid in 2026 as F1's 11th team.
However, the 24-year-old is bored of the speculation over a possible move to F1.
“I’ve kind of been dragged around in this talk for, it feels like, half a decade now,” he said, as quoted by Motorsport Week.
“I’ve had the carrot in front of me for a while. I’m kind of tired of that being the case, and I just want to drive at this point and focus on IndyCar this year and focus on winning a championship, and if something arises out of that, I’d have to think about it.
“It’s still not a for sure thing. All my friends and family are here in the US, and I don’t know anybody where I’m going, so it’s a big decision to make if I have to make that decision.”
Currently, Herta has 39 super licence points, one short of the required 40.
Herta appeared unconcerned about his super licence situation, stating, “I’ll be alright either way”.
“I guess the answer to that is I didn’t even know what the math was to get into - to get a super licence,” he said.
“If it happens, it happens, great, and then I’ll have a decision to make, if I’m still wanted. If it doesn’t happen, then poor me, I’m stuck racing IndyCars. I’ll be alright either way.”
Cadillac’s options for 2026
Cadillac will have a number of experienced drivers to choose from for 2026.
Valtteri Bottas, Zhou Guanyu, Kevin Magnussen, and Sergio Perez are all expected to be available for the year.
Bottas, who is Mercedes’ reserve driver, has reportedly held talks with Cadillac boss Graeme Lowdon.
Zhou and Perez’s financial backing will likely make them strong candidates as well, particularly the latter, given his links to Latin America.
Daniel Ricciardo has seemingly ruled out a return to F1.
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