However, the FIAs super license mandate means that he might not even be eligible to take part in the sport. McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown laughed at the idea hed ever share Hertas actual testing data from his July outing at Portimao with other F1 teams, but hes since fielded enough calls from fellow team principals and expects enough mechanics to gossip to know word of Hertas legitimately crisp F1 speed and handling would make its rounds. Lando is under a very long-term contract. De Vries, speaking after testing for Aston Martin on Friday, outlined his view that an exemption for Herta would risk upsetting the FIAs single-seater pyramid. I see the other side: What are rules if not for following? Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy, Alpine has shown interest in the Frenchman, Oscar Piastri to Make F1 Debut With McLaren in 2023, Fuel for Thought: Verstappen Chats About Dutch GP, Favorite Routine, Cats vs. Im in an opportunity that really no one else is in with whats going on. Colton has to accept whatever decision happens.. De Vries progressed up the FIAs ladder, winning the 2019 Formula 2 championship, and is a candidate for a 2023 Williams seat, having also taken the 2020/21 Formula E title. Right now we dont have any seat available. In all this, he also has the prospect of being an IndyCar free agent with the likelihood Chip Ganassi and Roger Penske will make hard runs to land him for 2024 and beyond should he stay in IndyCar. It had been suggested that Red Bull were trying to find a way around that restriction so the Californian could have become Yuki Tsunoda's team mate next season. However, Herta lacks the 40 points that are required by the FIA in order to earn a Super Licence. During a 30-minute call with IndyStar this week, not once could Herta get himself to say the words Alpha Tauri. In a matter of days, depending on the results of an ongoing FIA inquiry and a convoluted trade that would make NBA and NFL salary cap gurus grin, the Red Bull-owned F1 program may be his new home. David Schumacher hasn't done as hot as his cousin or as Arthur Leclerc. All rights reserved. Red Bull motorsport chief Helmut Marko had been pursuing a deal to bring Herta into his driver stable, and place him at sister team AlphaTauri for next season . But it has also put a target on Coltons back. Dont be surprised to see him donning noise-cancelling headphones and sunglasses as he tries to distance himself from reality and focus on the one thing hardly anyone outside his inner-circle will want to know about this weekend at Laguna Seca. But Formula One is Formula One. So this is not a training ground for Formula One.. If nothing changes, Herta could still finish top-3 in points in IndyCar in 2023 and earn himself a Super License, but whos to say hes going to have anywhere he can use it? He's currently 10th with just one race to go and will not be able to reach the points. Herta is eligible for a 'Free Practice Only' superlicence that allows a driver to take part in free practice at a grand prix. He has now spoken to Motorsport.com about how he does not want the pity of the FIA. The race day morning coverage of the Indianapolis 500 will begin at 9 a.m. ET. Herta, meanwhile, ended the IndyCar season with 32 points. will grant a Super Licence to Colton Herta. Herta has 32 points, and there would be a few options to race in series over the winter that would allow him to amass the 40 points necessary for a Super License required to race in Formula One. ET. McLaren team principal Andreas Seidl worked with Herta in July in a two-day test in Portugal in which Herta impressed in his preparation and on-track performance. Andretti Autosport would need to know soon if they have to fill the No. A sticking point continues to be Hertas lack of a Super License and speculation that F1s governing body may consider granting Herta an exemption. "He [Gasly] is a Red Bull Racing driver on loan to AlphaTauri. Colton Herta, arguably, projects no better a talent now than he did more than three years ago. "I think many drivers agree with me Share this: American racer Colton Herta was announced Saturday as an F1 test driver for McLaren as part of its 2022 program. Insider: Colton Herta's loss of F1 shot shines light on FIA's imperfect Super License system. . Herta, who turns 22 on March 30, drives in the NTT IndyCar Series for . Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko told reporter Chris Medland that an agreement was reached to bring on Colton Herta, pending the FIAs decision on his super license. Indy 500 practice will begin Tuesday, May 16at 9 a.m. Ive been very open with the team and all the parties involved that I dont want to talk about contracts for next year until I can get this Laguna race out of the way. I dont know with his license if he can race in F3 or F4. The system is complicated and sometimes seen as unfair. De Vries scored points in a Williams in his debut in Formula 1, whilst AlphaTauri have now found a No. For example, winning the IndyCar championship earns the same amount of points toward as Super License as winning the title in F2, the series right below F1. Going strictly by the rules, Herta has accumulated 32 points when considering his last three IndyCar seasons. Lundgaard is in a unique position to have an opinion on the FIA's licensing system, as he raced in F2 before joining IndyCar this season and also narrowly missed out on having the required 40 points in recent years. We did it on purpose. If youre in the top-10 in the IndyCar championship, for me, youre 100% qualified to drive in F1. Since he is short of 8 points to receive his super license, it seems as though Herta's chances for a seat for 2023 are long gone. We believe this testing program will provide him with valuable experience while demonstrating the benefit of expanding previous car testing to showcase promising drivers for the future., ANNOUNCEMENT Lets go testing!!! Colton Thomas Herta (born March 30, 2000) is an American open-wheel racing driver currently competing in the NTT IndyCar Series for Andretti Autosport with Curb-Agajanian. Added Ericsson, who raced five years in F1: I understand you have rules for a reason. I believe he is good enough to take that chance, but you dont want to go over there with an asterisk walking in. 5 Winners and 5 Losers from the Azerbaijan Grand Prix Who lit up the Land of Fire? The IndyCar grid currently boasts former F1 drivers Romain Grosjean, Marcus Ericsson and Alexander Rossi, whose 2015 season marked the last time an American was on the F1 grid. 2023 www.indystar.com. At this point a year ago, hed made up his mind. NBC also willair four hours of Indy 500 qualifying coverage on Saturday, May 20, at 2:30 p.m. Speaking strictly about black-and-white results, Herta just registered the worst full-time season of his IndyCar career (10th-place in points) with more finishes outside the top-10 than in it. The points are doled out based on championship finishes in other series (points are also given for F1 tests and practice appearances). Thats also great and he should get that opportunity if its offered to him. He can still earn a Super License by picking up one point for any free practice sessions he runs this year; McLaren holds his F1 rights . And, of course, American drivers or other drivers are very important. The governing body for Formula One on Friday said IndyCar star Colton Herta will not be granted the Super License the American needs to join the F1 grid next season. He can still earn a Super License by picking up one point for any free practice sessions he runs this year; McLaren holds his F1 rights and could put him in a car. This has nothing to do with me, Im just here to help him navigate and accomplish his goals, Bryan said. Heres the schedule: Luke Johnson/IndyStar/USA TODAY Sports Images Network, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Flipboard (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Questions and answers for the worlds biggest race, Indy 500 Last Chance and Fast Six Qualifying. Herta hired a film crew to shadow him as he charged from 14, How Colton Herta became a budding international racing star and America's Formula 1 hope, has caused F1 team bosses Guenther Steiner (Haas) and Frederic Vasseur (Alfa Romeo), who tested Herta in McLarens 2021 F1 car in July, How and why Michael Andretti is building a racing empire, it involves the future of three F1 teams and two other drivers, Herta gets taste of F1 weekend with McLaren, As special as his Andretti tenure has been, Andretti hopes FIA decision on potential F1 expansion by October, 'You can't pass up an opportunity like that', Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Herta does not currently possess enough super license points to qualify as an F1 driver, but has earned enough to potentially be given special dispensation to compete by the FIA. And as the media had noticed yesterday, I went to Austria to meet Helmut Marko. Herta was on the table, and he was not eligible for a Super License at this stage, Vasseur said. . At the same time, Steiner, who may be in the market to hire a driver in the coming weeks, said Hertas not on his radar strictly because of his Super License status. Its a fortunate, but hard, position to be in.. Drivers need 40 points over the last three seasons to obtain a super license. Herta is expected to have just 32 points ahead of 2023, and although he can gain points by participating in F1 practice sessions, he doesnt currently have any sessions scheduled this year even though hes got a testing contract with McLaren. prestigious racing series in the world some day. Steiner, who also said the team remains undecided on if it will re-sign Mick Schumacher, noted that the lack of Super License has kept Herta off of Haas list of prospects. The FIAs system is weighted in favor of its primary single-seater categories, mainly Formula 2, with points for IndyCar dropping significantly the lower a driver finishes in the order compared to some other series. I think there are plenty of other drivers in the market who have the Super Licence points and the necessity is not necessarily that high to give someone a dispensation to get a Super Licence. Pato in the family is natural, Brown said. After the FIA released a statement to Motorsport.com last weekend promising it wouldnt be pressured by any teams into decisions on matters such as Super License points and that its new president Mohammed bin Sulayem would abide by the systems robust governance, Marko, a senior advisor for Red Bull, told reporters Friday that Alpha Tauri had opted to shelve its pursuit of Herta, who currently stands eight points shy of the 40-point threshold needed to obtain a Super License. Herta's Formula 1 fate is in the hands of the FIA, which has the power to grant exemption for drivers without enough Super License points. That gave the 23-year-old Swede a total of 43 points, three more than needed for the license. This doesnt really change anything for me.. Dogs, Why Wallace Is Swapping 23XI Racing Car Numbers for 2022 NASCAR Playoffs. Elsewhere, Colton Herta was heading to Formula One, but low F1 super license points turned his AlphaTauri dream on its head. To cap everything, Andretti would allow Herta to leave his No. 2020: P1 Formula Renault Eurocup, 18 points. Both Hertas expressed they were surprised how much excitement and interest Formula One teams have shown particularly since a July test with McLaren Racing (which signed Colton to a testing contract this season). F1 Azerbaijan Notebook: Miami, Here We Come! Rossi, who has spent the last four seasons as Hertas teammate at Andretti Autosport, lashed out this week because Im so sick and tired of this back and forth regarding the licensing. ET and Sunday, May 21, at 4 p.m. Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko told reporter Chris Medland that an agreement was reached to bring on Colton Herta, pending the FIA's decision on his super license. Hertas made it clear performance, as well as potential upwards mobility within the series, will weigh heavily on his ultimate decision should he have one to make. He earned 28 of those points through his IndyCar finishes. With Alpha Tauri, theres always the potential of being promoted to run alongside likely back-to-back series champ Max Verstappen at Red Bull, though his current teammate, 32-year-old Sergio Perez, signed a new deal this year and has proven a solid runningmate. Is there an opportunity to win races in F1? Teaming with Colton Herta, Eric Lux, and IndyCar rookie Devlin DeFrancesco, O'Ward scored a victory in the Le Mans Prototype 2 class. Colton Herta was the front-runner for the 2023 AlphaTauri seat. ET and Sunday, May 21, at 4 p.m. AlphaTauri is awaiting a decision from the FIA on Colton Herta's eligibility to compete in Formula One next season. Alpha Tauri hoped the force majeure clause added in response to the pandemic might be able to be used to retroactively include Hertas Indy Lights points that had previously been tossed because of the series small field. American racer Colton Herta was announced Saturday as an F1 test driver for McLaren as part of its 2022 program. Its not something to run away from or feel lesser about. . "The FIA confirms that an enquiry was made via the appropriate channels that led to the FIA confirming that the driver Colton Herta does not have the required number of points to be granted. Nyck de Vries could be in line for the seat now that Herta is out. ET to determine the 33-car starting grid for The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.. F1 boss Stefano Domenicali told Autosport earlier this week, The sport needs to respect the rules. Herta, the youngest IndyCar race-winner in history, has won seven IndyCar events in his young career but still fell short of the Super License threshold due to the points disparity between. Peacock will be the exclusive home for practice, warmup and several qualifying sessions (more than 40 hours of coverage) and also will simulstream the GMR Grand Prix race May 13 on the IMS road course (which is on NBC). So its really what I believe is right to do., Herta, though, has won seven IndyCar races, which Marko feels is comparable to Grand Prix races.. And on Friday, the FIA revealed that they had received an approach about his Super Licence status and his chances of making the move to Formula 1. Both AlphaTauri and Nyck de Vries have leaped at their respective opportunities. I just want to focus on these last two weekends and have a little bit of time to decompress and figure out whats going on during the offseason, Herta said to the AP. Herta, meanwhile, ended the IndyCar season with 32 points. There is no doubt that had a positive impact on his perception from other people in that paddock after that.. Even its senior driver, Gasly, who earned one pole each season from 2019-21 (including winning Monza in 2020), currently sits 14th in points with four points finishes in 15 races. Outside Sebastien Bourdaiss ill-fitted jump to Red Bulls B Team after his four consecutive Champ Car titles 15 years ago, no American open-wheel racing driver has leapt or, frankly, been given the opportunity into F1 since Juan Pablo Montoya more than 20 years ago. The FIA confirms that an enquiry was made via the appropriate channels that led to the FIA confirming that the driver Colton Herta does not have the required number of points to be granted an FIA Super Licence, the FIA said in a statement. 11 min read Should the FIA decide to amend how it allocates points to IndyCar drivers when it comes qualifying for a Super License - or grant him a one-time. SL points are based on how a series reflects in comparison to F1, not how talented a grid is. INDYCAR AT PORTLAND: Details for watching Sunday on NBC, You have to keep in mind that when we made the decision about the Super License and the points, it was to protect F1 and the drivers, to avoid having 10 drivers coming in F1 with big budgets and no results in the past and taking 50% of the grid, Alfa Romeo team principal Fred Vasseur said Saturday. Andretti has been met by severe resistance from existing F1 teams and even F1 itself in his hope to add an 11th team. It was that test that perhaps raised the level of interest in bringing him to F1, and Seidl said McLaren was open to adjusting the licensing system. Colton is a proven talent in IndyCar and we will be interested to see how he adapts to a Formula 1 car, McLaren principal Andreas Seidl said. But consider that Linus Lundquist earned enough points for a Super License by clinching the Indy Lights championship Saturday at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. They can do it, its up to them to decide if they want to stop the system. Insider: Here's how all 5 IndyCar championship-hopeful drivers can clinch at Laguna Seca. Race coverage will start at 12:30 p.m. Now? Bryan Herta is the strategist for his son on the No. Serving as Coltons manager has been an interesting situation for the former IndyCar driver who is a two-time winner at Laguna Seca. NBC also willair four hours of Indy 500 qualifying coverage on Saturday, May 20, at 2:30 p.m. But I think its uncomfortable with people team owners, other drivers making comments specific to Colton. Red Bull motorsport chief Helmut Marko had been pursuing a deal to bring Herta into his driver stable, and place him at sister team AlphaTauri for next season, as a possible replacement for Pierre Gasly who has been linked with the now-vacant seat at Alpine, following Fernando Alonso's shock switch to Aston Martin for 2023. ET to determine the 33-car starting grid for The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.. And with Formula 1's burgeoning popularity in the United States with three Grands Prix set to take place in America next season an American driver making the switch to F1 could have been the next step in the sport's growth in the US. INDY 500 PRIMER:Questions and answers for the worlds biggest race. I want to thank McLaren for the opportunity to get my first laps in a Formula 1 car, which has always been on my racing bucket list, Herta said. It was clear before the season started what the requirements were, and it hasnt changed. ET on Peacock. Colton Herta currently seems to . De Vries shoulders blame for Baku crash, while Tsunoda says he maximised AlphaTauri package with points finish. The 22-year-old Californian and IndyCar star frequently has been mentioned as a candidate for a seat next season with AlphaTauri.