FIA clarifies after Colton Herta Super Licence confusion

Henry Valantine

30 Oct 2026 8:44 PM

Colton Herta has had a mission of reaching 40 FIA Super Licence Points this season.

Colton Herta is another point closer to being eligible to earn an FIA Super Licence, after completing 30 laps in FP1 at the Mexico City Grand Prix.

With consensus having initially been that he was on 39 points before the session, with 40 required to earn a Super Licence, it has since emerged that Herta still needs one more point to reach the Super Licence threshold.

Colton Herta closer to FIA Super Licence milestone in F1 mission

The American had been of interest to the Formula 1 paddock several years ago, as Red Bull looked at him for a potential AlphaTauri (now Racing Bulls) drive in 2023.

However, he lacked the Super Licence points required to reach Formula 1, and the FIA rejected a request for an exemption at the time.

Herta has this year been racing in Formula 2 to earn the requisite points on his own accord, as well as taking in free practice sessions with Cadillac to gain further points.

He was placed in Valtteri Bottas’ car for a fifth FP1 appearance of the season, with 100km in a session earning a point towards his Super Licence.

With clarification having arrived that Herta was on 39 points heading into the session, that has since been updated with the confirmation he needs another successful FP1 session to secure the final point required.

An error in the standings from the 2025 IndyCar season had mistakenly placed Herta sixth in the championship, meaning he would have secured his 40th point in FP1 in Mexico City.

Herta finished on the same points total as Felix Rosenqvist, but the 2026 Indianapolis 500 winner ended the year ahead of the American racer on countback, having achieved more second-place finishes.

That has now been verified, with Herta requiring one more point to reach the threshold.

More about the FIA Super Licence

FIA Super Licence explained: How drivers can reach the magic 40-point mark to race in Formula 1

F1 points system: How can drivers score points in F1 2026?

How does the FIA Super Licence apply to Colton Herta?

To be eligible to race in Formula 1, drivers must accumulate 40 points via the FIA’s Super Licence scoring system, with their scores from the last three seasons making them eligible.

Herta scored 30 points for finishing runner-up in the IndyCar standings in 2024 but, with those soon due to expire, the 26-year-old needed to secure the remaining points required by the end of 2026.

He went into the season on 35 points, with extra points coming courtesy of seventh and 10th-placed finishes in IndyCar from 2023 and 2025. He will soon lose his point from 2023, however, with a three-year rolling window in which points accumulate.

Herta has now undertaken five FP1 sessions this season, and four have seen him cross the 100km threshold – putting him on 39 points.

Team boss Marcin Budkowski said Cadillac may yet run Herta in another FP1 session before the 2026 season ends, to make sure of his Formula 1 eligibility – something which would now need to happen to secure his Super Licence.