Daily News 19

Tag: Colton Herta

  • Colton Herta Withdraws From Both Madring F2 Races

    Colton Herta Withdraws From Both Madring F2 Races

    Colton Herta Withdraws from Madrid F2 Rounds After Qualifying Crash

    Colton Herta has withdrawn from both races at the Formula 2 round in Madrid following a heavy qualifying accident on Friday. The Hitech Pulse-Eight driver lost control of his car at Turn 19, sliding into both barriers and sustaining significant damage to the front, rear, and right-hand side of his machinery.

    Driver Cites Feeling Unwell

    Herta subsequently pulled out of Saturday’s sprint race and Sunday’s feature race, reportedly feeling “unwell”. The team offered no comment regarding his potential participation at upcoming championship rounds.

    Difficult Rookie Season Continues

    The former IndyCar race winner switched to F2 this year to pursue his Formula 1 ambitions, securing a Cadillac test and development role. However, the transition has proven challenging. Across 11 rounds, Herta has reached the top 10 in qualifying only once and has accumulated 26 points — 20 of which came during the opening five events.

    His form has deteriorated recently. At Monza, Herta crashed twice in what was arguably his worst weekend of the season. The Madrid incident marks his third accident in his last six F2 sessions.

    Teammate and Countryman Celebrate Success

    While Herta’s weekend ended early, his teammate Ritomo Miyata achieved a career milestone by claiming his maiden F2 victory on Saturday — at the 76th attempt. Meanwhile, fellow American Ugo Ugochukwu secured the 2026 FIA Formula 3 championship title on Sunday.

    Championship Standings Update

    Ferrari junior Dino Beganovic dominated Sunday’s feature race, converting pole position into a commanding win. In the drivers’ standings, Red Bull junior Nikola Tsolov leads with 177 points, followed by Ferrari Academy driver Rafael Camara on 170. Alpine’s Gabriele Mini sits third with 153 points, while Alex Dunne rounds out the top four on 139.

  • Colton Herta’s 2026 Season Deteriorates: Two Off-Track Excursions, Mechanical Breakdown at Monza

    Colton Herta’s 2026 Season Deteriorates: Two Off-Track Excursions, Mechanical Breakdown at Monza

    Colton Herta’s Formula 2 campaign has deteriorated significantly, with his weekend at Monza serving as the starkest illustration of his struggles. The former IndyCar frontrunner joined the Cadillac Formula 1 team as a test and development driver for 2026 and moved to F2 to prepare for a potential graduation to the world championship. However, the transition has proven difficult. Lacking experience with Pirelli tires and unfamiliar with the circuits, Herta sits a disappointing 17th in the standings after 10 rounds.

    Qualifying Woes and Practice Crash at Monza

    Over the course of the season, the Hitech GP driver has qualified inside the top 12 only once. Monza marked a new low, with Herta qualifying 20th, more than a second off the pace. The difficulties extended beyond raw speed. During the sole F2 practice session, he crashed after putting two wheels in the gravel at the exit of Lesmo 2, spinning into the inside wall.

    Cadillac FP1 Outing Cut Short by Mechanical Issue

    Herta then participated in Formula 1 FP1 for Cadillac to fulfill the team’s rookie running requirements. His session ended prematurely after just one push lap when the MAC-26 suffered a suspected hydraulic failure. The 20th-place result in F2 qualifying later that day compounded a troubled Friday.

    Herta Feels “More Comfortable” in F1 Machinery

    This was Herta’s third FP1 appearance, and he reported feeling “a lot more” comfortable in the Cadillac. He explained the progression:

    “You know, just kind of having that little bit of knowledge about what the car wants, or what the car needs, how it wants to be driven,” he explained.

    “All these cars have tiny differences that make them click. I’m driving and trying to find that, so having a bit more knowledge of what the car likes to do is a big help, it makes me feel more comfortable.

    When you only have an hour, it seems like, literally when you’re inside the car and everything’s happening, everything’s happening so quick. It seems like you’re in there for five minutes, so you get out and you’re instantly like, ‘Oh I should have done this’ or ‘I should have done that’.

    I think everybody would say if they get a second chance at anything when they’re driving they would do better, and for sure for me it probably would have been a pretty big step.”

    Weekend Ends with Early Feature Race Exit

    Herta recovered to 15th place in Saturday’s sprint race, but his feature race ended on lap 11 after he beached the car in the gravel at the exit of Parabolica while running 21st.

    Championship Hopes Effectively Over

    As a result, Herta remains stuck on 26 points with just one top-12 finish in the last 10 races. He trails championship leader Nikola Tsolov by 151 points with only 156 points available across the final four rounds, effectively eliminating him from title contention. Even a top-10 finish in the standings now appears a tall order, sitting 37 points adrift.

    Uncertain Path to a 2027 F1 Seat

    Regarding his Formula 1 ambitions, Herta remained direct:

    “What I want to do is I want to get to Formula 1 and I want to get there as fast as possible,” Herta said. “How realistic that is, I have yet to be told or know.”

    Given the current trajectory, a 2027 F1 drive looks increasingly unlikely.

    Colton Herta, Hitech GP. Photo by: James Sutton / Formula 1 / Formula Motorsport Ltd via Getty Images