Colton Herta isn’t shying away from the harsh reality. His rookie Formula 2 campaign with Hitech Grand Prix has fallen short of expectations, yet the American still believes a Formula 1 promotion could be on the cards. The former IndyCar race winner has described his maiden F2 season as ‘disappointing’ but remains hopeful that his dream isn’t dead.
Herta’s decision to join F2 late last season sent shockwaves through the paddock. He teamed up with Hitech Grand Prix alongside Ritomo Miyata, aiming to secure crucial Super Licence points for an F1 seat. However, he has struggled to match the pace of his rivals and currently sits 19th in the standings with just 26 points to his name – a far cry from what many anticipated.
But Herta insists his expectations were never that high. He praised his rivals, calling them some of the fastest drivers on circuits worldwide. “It would be foolish to sit here and think that I will be on the pace right away, that I will be on the pace and ready to win in my first race,” he explained. “I may be older, but speed-wise, these guys are just as fast as anybody out there.”
Behind the struggles, Herta is still searching for answers. He admitted that the championship has been challenging and that he’s unsure why he and Hitech have been unable to put together consistent performances across an entire weekend. “Nothing in particular, it’s just been the whole thing,” he said. “Unfortunately, there hasn’t been a whole bunch of positives at any point. For whatever reason, there’s been zero pace, and nothing has really changed.”
His best result so far is a fifth-place finish in Barcelona, despite starting from the second row. “Through the winter testing, we were fairly strong. All the private testing that I’d done, I was strong, but for some reason on race weekends, it just hasn’t ever translated,” he added. “It’s frustrating, but all we can do is just keep trying.”
With the season far from over, Herta made it clear he has no interest in another F2 campaign. “I said ‘I don’t have an interest’,” he stated. “This year, I think if... [truncated]”
His comments have sparked speculation about his next move. Will he return to IndyCar, or continue chasing an F1 seat through other avenues? One thing is certain: Herta still harbours big ambitions, even if the road ahead is anything but smooth.
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