Mario Andretti "3000%" supports Colton Herta's IndyCar to F2 move with 'now or never' verdict

Mario Andretti has "3000%" support for Colton Herta as the IndyCar star makes a bizarre move to F2 in 2026 to realize his ultimate F1 dream. After the 2025 IndyCar season, Herta left a high-paying drive with Andretti Global to join sister team Cadillac F1 as a test driver.

On his behalf, Cadillac F1 negotiated a contract with Hitech TGR for a 2026 F2 seat. In theory, a driver of Herta's caliber, boasting nine IndyCar wins and considered a future champion, could've directly landed an F1 seat. However, a lack of Super Licence points on two occasions blocked this possibility.

His F2 move serves a dual purpose: it earns him the required Super Licence points for a 2027 F1 drive and helps him learn the new tracks and the behavior of the Pirelli tires. 1978 F1 champion and four-time IndyCar champion Mario Andretti, who is the director of the Cadillac F1 team, is completely on board with Colton Herta's unusual path to F1.

Talking with ESPN about this, Andretti said:

"It's now or never, and he knows that, and he's willing to take that chance. That's how important it is to him. And that is a beautiful commitment I would support 3,000 percent, to go one step down to go two steps forward, but he knows what he's doing, and he'll accomplish what he's after, I'm positive."

In August, Cadillac F1 announced the signing of Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas on multi-year deals starting from 2026. With this setup, it seems unclear where Colton Herta fits into the American team's plans for 2027. It is unlikely that the 25-year-old will want to compete in F2 for more than one season if his F1 options look bleak, especially having left a promising career in IndyCar.

Colton Herta 'far from being super comfortable' in F2 car after first test with Hitech TGR

Colton Herta at the Formula 2 Testing in Abu Dhabi - Day 1 - Source: Getty

Colton Herta has already taken part in two F2 tests after the conclusion of the 2025 IndyCar season. In November, he tested an older-generation F2 at Monza, the lap times and performance of which wouldn't be a good indicator of his real pace, but nonetheless, helped him gain some experience.

Herta's first proper test in the No. 8 Hitech TGR F2 car came at the three-day postseason testing in Abu Dhabi from December 10 to 12. The 25-year-old had a challenging time adapting to the new machinery.

After day one of testing, where Colton Herta emerged P11 out of 22 drivers in the morning session, and P17 in the afternoon session, he summarized his experience, saying (via F2):

"It was all about getting comfortable, and I am still pretty far from being super comfortable in the car. It's good first steps, it's such an important three days for us, it's important to maximize everything that we do here. It's fun to be here, fun to be in a car in the offseason, and I am looking forward to the next two days."

Though Herta's lap times improved over the three days of F2 testing at the Yas Marina Circuit, so did those of his rivals. He finished in P14 or lower over both sessions on the second and third days of the test.

Edited by Yash Kotak