F2 reveal 'fight' over Colton Herta after IndyCar switch

F2 CEO Bruno Michel has revealed there was a "bit of a fight" within the F1 support paddock to secure the services of Colton Herta, who will race for Hitech TGR in the series over the 2026 season.

The American driver is a nine-time IndyCar race winner, but has been unable to procure the necessary FIA super licence points to race in F1, so has taken the unconventional course of stepping down to the junior category that, as the main pathway to the so-called pinnacle of motorsport, hands out more of the critical super licence points.

One of the most highly-regarded single-seater drivers coming out of the United States, there is considerable interest surrounding Herta and how he fares in F2.

He signed on the dotted line with Cadillac F1 as the General Motors-backed team's development driver, with a view to securing a full-time race seat in the future.

However, he must first secure the six remaining super licence points that would take him to the required threshold of 40 for the past three-year period — he can achieve this by finishing eighth in the F2 standings this year.

Interestingly, recent revisions to the allocation of super licence points in IndyCar mean the 25-year-old would have needed to also finish eighth in the standings of the American series.

That does not, however, make his switch to F2 redundant, as it affords him experience on Pirelli rubber, F1's sole tyre supplier and circuits that make up 14 of the 24 rounds of the F1 calendar. It also, crucially, gets him physically closer to the F1 paddock.

Herta arrives with certain advantages, but will also start on the back foot compared to those who have been through the usual proving grounds in Europe, including FIA F3.

A driver of his profile joining F2 is, nonetheless, potentially the biggest story to grace the series since it was rebranded from GP2 in 2017.

It is perhaps unsurprising, then, that Michel did not receive any pushback from rival teams or drivers, despite Herta possessing considerably more experience than many of those he will be racing against.

"I didn't have any negative feedback from the teams," the Frenchman exclusively told RacingNews365 when discussing the arrival of Herta and what it means for F2.

"I think they all realise that it's really important for the category, because it's going to give us quite a lot of exposure, and especially in America, where we're not so present, because we're not racing there.

"So F2 is not so known in America. And, of course, the presence of Colton is going to help."

There was, in fact, somewhat of a bidding war for the Herta. "I think all the other teams are realising that, and I also know that there were a few teams that tried to attract him, and there was a bit of a fight between several teams before he decided to go with Hitech.

"So, I think it's all extremely positive, and nobody's complaining. You have drivers with more experience than others."

Michel highlighted how Jak Crawford, in his third season, was fighting for the championship in 2025 against rookies Luke Browning and Leonardo Fornaroli, who eventually took the crown.

Richard Verschoor finished third in the standings, in what was his fifth season at that level. The Dutch driver amassed 129 race starts in the category, a joint record, and is only around nine months younger than Herta.

"So of course, there's a difference of experience between all these drivers, and it's good, because it's always a benchmark," Michel added.

"And seriously, I'm extremely interested to see how Colton is going to behave, because it's something that is quite new for us as well."

A 'fantastic' move for F2, Herta and Cadillac

Speculation of Herta leaving IndyCar for F2 rumbled away over the summer break, before ultimately being confirmed during the Autumn.

The programme of the support series and development work was devised by Cadillac as it looks to prepare him for life in F1.

Apart from the missing super licence points, the only thing standing between Herta and a seat in 2027 is Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez, who both hold multi-year deals with the fledgling American team.

"I knew it quite early, because I had some discussions with the Cadillac team management and they pre-warned me that it was their interest, that’s what the plan was," Michel explained. "And I told them it was a fantastic move for him, for us, and for Cadillac as well.

"So, I was quite excited about it when I heard about it. Then, after that, you need to know when it's going to happen.

"After that, I told them that he had to start being in the car as early as possible. So, of course, do the post-season testing."

Herta did take part in the three-day test at the Yas Marina Circuit, home of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, where he finished in P17, P16 and P14, respectively. He will have gained valuable experience and a foundation to build from.

In an ideal world, he also would have taken part in the final couple of rounds of the year, but that was not a viable option in the end, according to Michel.

"Even — but it was not really possible to do — the last race, or the last two races, of the season, because he needs to get ready as much as possible," he added, given the lack of official testing permitted in current machinery.

"I know he's testing on the old GP2 cars, I think, at the moment, and he's testing on tracks in Europe, which he’s absolutely allowed to do as long as he's not entered into the championship, and that's what he needs."