American Cadillac F1 hopeful eyes potential move to Formula 2

As Cadillac F1 looks to be edging closer to announcing a veteran-packed driver lineup for its inaugural season, the chances for a young American driver to join the team have grown slim.

At least, for the first year. IndyCar driver Colton Herta, who was rumored to join the team during its Andretti Global phase, could very well be eyeing a move to Formula 2 in hopes of securing the superlicense points necessary to advance into Formula 1.

Colton Herta to F1? “I’ve heard those rumors…”

When Andretti Global announced that it had submitted an Expression of Interest to the FIA in hopes of entering Formula 1 with an American team, many fans had one big question: Will it sign an American driver?

From the start, Californian Colton Herta was linked to the seat thanks in large part to his affiliation with Andretti’s IndyCar team. As the outfit’s young star, he seemed to be the obvious choice.

Since that time, the Andretti entry has been transformed into Cadillac F1 after the stepping down of longtime team leader Michael Andretti following the team’s initial rejection by Formula One Management. In lieu of Andretti, the team is now helmed by Dan Towriss, who turned his longtime sponsorship of drivers like Herta into a role at the top of the outfit’s international motorsport entries.

While Herta’s hopes for entering Formula 1 with Cadillac remained high, they depended heavily on his ability to perform well in the 2025 IndyCar season.

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So far, it’s been Alex Palou dominating the standings, with Herta’s Andretti teammate Kyle Kirkwood being one of the few drivers to challenge Palou for victory. With 31 super license points to his name, Herta would have needed to finish fourth overall in the IndyCar standings to net the nine points that would give him the required 40 — or he would have needed to arrange a vast number of Free Practice 1 sessions in F1.

With two events remaining in the season, Herta currently sits eighth in the championship, so his shot at securing the required super license points has faded away.

But what about a move to Formula 2, instead?

According to IndyStar, Herta has signed one of IndyCar’s most lucrative contracts that would see him tied to the team until the conclusion of the 2027 American open-wheel series. But Andretti’s ties to Cadillac F1 via Dan Towriss mean that Herta could ultimately have more freedom to pursue the European open-wheel path than drivers contracted to other teams.

Ahead of this weekend’s IndyCar race at the Milwaukee Mile, IndyStar asked Herta if a move to F2 is possible.

“I’ve heard those rumors, too,” Herta replied. “That’s all it is right now, is rumors.”

As the author of the article pointed out: Herta did not deny that F2 was a potential option. The inclusion of the phrase “right now” also implies that this is a situation that could ultimately enter the realm of possibility.

It’s worth noting that Herta previously stated in 2025 that he’s not trying to force an F1 move to happen, stating, “I’ve been dragged around in these talks for, like, half a decade now.

“I’ve had the carrot in front of me for a while, and 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 the championship, and if something arises out of that, I’d still have to think about it.”

He continued, “All my friends and family are here in the US, and I don’t know anybody where I would be going, so it’s a big decision to make if I have to make that decision.”

But it is an option that does remain open to him, particularly if he were to arrive on the European scene with funding from Towriss.

Still, a move to Formula 2 would not guarantee Herta a super license, meaning his foray into Europe could be a multi-year affair if the goal ends up being F1

Cadillac F1 is expected to announce its 2026 driver lineup in the coming days, and of the many qualified candidates seeking a seat, rumors suggest that the team will opt for a duo of Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez to kick off its F1 foray.

Team principal Graeme Lowdon has stressed that, while the team’s roots remain in America, the goal with its initial signings is to help the team find its footing immediately, with advice from drivers who have had ample F1 experience.

The team has not ruled out an American driver in the future; rather, it intends to hit the ground running before taking on rookie talent.

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