Motorsport icon Mario Andretti is showing his support for American IndyCar driver Colton Herta as a candidate for the new Cadillac Formula 1 team, which is preparing for its debut in 2026.
As a member of the board of directors of the Cadillac F1 team, Andretti’s endorsement carries a lot of weight. For now, Herta competes with Andretti in the IndyCar series.
Cadillac’s step into the world of Formula 1 is one many have been eagerly watching. The company has set its sights on joining the Formula 1 series, having secured a provisional agreement with both the FIA and the commercial rights holders at the end of 2024.
While the team readies itself for the grand debut in 2026, a key focus lies in forming a strong set of drivers.
During an interview with Motorsport.com, Andretti explained that Herta would be a “good bet” for the Cadillac F1 team. He commented:
“Looking back at the way Colton has trained from the very beginning of his young career — as you know, he started in Formula 3 and so on with the likes of Lando Norris, and he’s done some F1 testing.
“Zak Brown gave him a good test at Portimao in Portugal. You should see the report that we got from Andrea Stella. And Andrea is an individual that says it like it is — so again, he’s a great candidate.
“And all of this has to be proven, of course, but going in, he’s a good bet, in my opinion.”
In the 2024 IndyCar season, Herta celebrated some incredible success, yet stumbled at crucial moments, preventing him from clinching the championship. Andretti, reflected on this, stating:
“Some mistakes were made last year that cost him a championship, and unfortunately that happens.
“Sometimes you put too much pressure on yourself and then you make that mistake.
“But when you look at the ingredients that were there, you had the ingredients of a champion. But for just one of those instances, he could have been champion.
“So, when you look back and assess all those things, you’ve got to feel pretty good.”
Speaking about the potential driver line-up for Cadillac, Andretti said:
“You think about those things every day, and that’s going to become official probably mid-year.
“We are obviously looking at every aspect of every opportunity that’s there,” he added.
“It’s clear that the objectives are to have at least one American driver and then another experienced driver alongside, and start like that.”
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