Although Colton Herta has downplayed his chances of moving from IndyCar to F1, his new Andretti team-mate and former F1 driver Marcus Ericsson has talked him up as a driver who can “do things with a race car that very few people can do”.

Last year, having overcome many obstacles and a lengthy process, Formula 1 announced that Cadillac would join the grid in 2026 as the sport’s 11th team.

Cadillac want Colton Herta for their debut F1 campaign

Signing key personnel such as former F1 technical director Pat Symonds, who has joined the project as Cadillac’s F1 consultant, as well as former Renault figure Nick Chester, who has come on board as technical director, the American team is lining up all the important pieces.

Just one big one question remains unanswered: Who will be the team’s F1 2026 drivers?

IndyCar race winner Colton Herta has been tipped as one of the two drivers after Cadillac board member Mario Andretti told NBC News that he is “definitely one that’s considered.”

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Herta downplayed Andretti’s remark, telling journalist Bruce Martin this past weekend: “I mean I don’t have a Super License, so until I have a Super License, there’s no point in me really putting any thought to it. So really just focused on IndyCar and trying to do the best I can here this year.

“If I get the Super License this year, great. I’ll have a think about it and have to make my decision pretty quickly thereafter, but if not, then still under contract in IndyCar.”

The American is justified in his caution having been linked to a move to Red Bull’s junior team in 2023 only to lose out when the FIA refused to compromise on the Super Licence regulations despite his then-seven IndyCar wins and a P3 in the 2020 series.

However, should Herta have the necessary points come the end of the 2025 IndyCar series and be called up by Cadillac to contest their debut F1 campaign, former F1 driver Ericsson has backed him to shine.

“I think he even sometimes doesn’t know himself how he can be so fast in certain corner combinations,” Ericsson told Speed Street. “He’s just got that feel for things.

“Also something I feel like with Colton, he’s very good at adapting to different situations. Like, the track changes, it’s different conditions, track grip goes up or down, he’s very good at adapting to different situations and I think that makes him really, really good.

“When he gets into his zone, he can just do things with a race car that very few people can do. So he’s definitely up there as one of the best team-mates I’ve raced against.”

“For sure he’s got the talent for it,” he added. “I think there’s no doubt about that, he’s got the talent for it.

“We all know F1 and IndyCar have two very different type of cars to drive with tyres and tracks and everything, but I have no doubt that he could do a really good job there.”

Cadillac remain keen on bringing Herta across to the Formula 1 when they line up on the grid in 2026.

“From the beginning of this project, the team always looked at the prospect of Colton Herta to be one of the drivers,” Andretti told Motorsport.com in a recent update on Cadillac’s driver plans.

“As far as I know, this is something we had not discussed lately because there’s time, that still remains a priority. I’m sure that’s the direction he would like to go. He trained there.

“He raced alongside the likes of, just to say one, Lando Norris, who is obviously very prominent now with McLaren. And so, he is from that era, if you will, still, young and vibrant and ready to go.”

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