Colton Herta reveals why he thought F1 dream was over before Cadillac chance

TL;DR

Colton Herta believed his Formula 1 aspirations were over after a failed deal with AlphaTauri for the 2023 season. He has since joined Cadillac as a test driver for 2026 while holding a full-time Formula 2 contract.

Key points

Colton Herta thought he had lost his chance in F1.
Failed deal with AlphaTauri for 2023 season.
Joined Cadillac as a test driver for 2026.
Also holds a full-time Formula 2 contract.
Previously tested with Sauber and worked with McLaren.

CadillacAlphaTauriSauberMcLaren

Motorsport photo

Colton Herta has revealed that he thought he would never get another chance in Formula 1 after a deal with AlphaTauri (now Racing Bulls) failed to come to fruition for the 2023 season.

Herta, who left his successful career in the IndyCar Series behind to join the Cadillac F1 team as its test driver in 2026 alongside a full-time Formula 2 contract, had previously considered a move to F1 in 2021.

The American driver took part in a simulator test with Sauber in 2021, when Andretti Autosport was attempting to purchase the Hinwil-based team. He was later signed by McLaren in 2022 as a development driver to test the Woking outfit's 2021 car, and Red Bull began negotiations with him for a potential AlphaTauri seat in 2023.

Unfortunately for Herta, he did not have enough superlicence points, and the Milton Keynes squad was unable to obtain an exception from the FIA.

During an interview on the F1 Beyond The Grid podcast, Herta explained that he didn't think he would have another opportunity to chase his F1 dream after the failed AlphaTauri contract.

"This is a sport, and first and foremost it's a business, right? It's got to put out money and got to collect money and so I understand that, and I understand that side of it.