Cadillac sets Colton Herta top 10 F2 target amid F1 push

Colton Herta is readying for one of the most critical seasons in his racing career as he prepares for battle in Formula 2.

Also signed up as a Cadillac F1 reserve driver, CEO Dan Towriss has set Herta the target of a top 10 finish in the championship.

Cadillac wants Colton Herta in the F2 championship top 10

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On the face of it, a top 10 result is a generous expectation from the IndyCar race winner, but F2 is part of a broader picture of how Herta proves himself ready for F1.

Herta has swapped IndyCar for the top junior category on the road to Formula 1, as he looks to forge a path into the world championship.

A multiple-time race winner across the pond in IndyCar, Herta is determined to compete in Formula 1.

That has triggered a major change of career course, by signing up to race in F2.

The weight of his name will likely bring more eyes to Formula 2 than the series has ever experienced before. Certainly the most since Mick Schumacher was on the scene with Prema, anyway.

Herta was on the F1 radar before when Michael Andretti attempted a Sauber takeover, one which did not come to pass, closing the door to Herta.

Another opportunity came via Red Bull, with an eye to a race seat at its junior F1 team AlphaTauri, but insufficient FIA Super Licence points proved a roadblock that time.

Fortunately, F2 offers the greatest Super Licence points allocation of any series on the ladder to Formula 1, and exceeds what IndyCar dishes out. A top three finish in the F2 championship pays out the 40 points needed for a Super Licence there and then.

But, top three is not the result expected of Herta in F2 2026. Towriss is going with top 10.

Herta’s F2 campaign will form part of a wider 2026 programme with Cadillac. The California native has returned to IMSA, and is set for Cadillac F1 simulator and FP1 experiences over the coming year.

“I really am looking for a top 10 finish from Colton in F2,” Towriss told PlanetF1.com and others.

“Because, really, it’s about learning tracks and tyres and just, you know, his development to be ready for Formula 1.

“He’ll be spending time on the F1 sim. So it’s not just what happens in F2. There’ll be FP1s that he’ll be involved with, as well as sim work.

“And so we’ll look at the total body of work to judge his readiness for Formula 1.”

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Colton Herta must aim for higher than F2’s top 10

As an IndyCar race winner, Herta no doubt will have his sights set on the top step of the F2 podium before too long.

On one side, the top 10 expectation set takes some of the pressure off Herta, as he adapts to the very different F2 machinery. His Formula 3 experience from a decade ago will likely serve limited purpose at this point.

Herta must also re-adjust to the largely European culture of F2.

Even still, it is a target which feels on the generous side, even if Cadillac is going to judge Herta’s F1 readiness on more than just his F2 campaign.

Yes, the 2026 F2 field is arguably one of the strongest collection of drivers which the series has ever had. But Herta has not left IndyCar behind and taken this huge career gamble to be happy with top 10 in the championship.

Herta will be looking to force his way into Formula 1, on merit, off the back of a title challenge.

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