"The expectations will be huge -- unrealistic, perhaps, given the scale of the challenge -- and to many in the F1 paddock it is a boom-or-bust decision. The optics of Herta struggling in a field of drivers significantly younger would be difficult to manage, and F2 is a series known for how hard it is for drivers to stay consistent throughout a season: Oliver Bearman and Kimi Antonelli were shining examples of that in 2024."
"Herta, who already has a foot in the F1 door as test driver of the incoming Cadillac team, has no illusions about the task at hand. "I look at it as this is probably my last shot at Formula 1, given my age and everything considered," he told ESPN about the move. "For sure, it's untried and untested and it'll be a lot of new stuff for me, something new to work on and learn. I'm excited.""
Colton Herta will move from IndyCar into Formula 2 with Hitech for the 2026 season, taking an unprecedented risky path to Formula 1. He will be 25 when he joins, turning 26 after the season's first race. The step requires learning new circuits, mastering complex Pirelli tires, and competing against younger drivers already acclimated to F2 conditions. Expectations for immediate success are high but possibly unrealistic, and poor results could damage his reputation. F2 is known for season-long inconsistency, as Oliver Bearman and Kimi Antonelli demonstrated in 2024. Herta serves as a Cadillac F1 test driver and views the move as probably his last shot at Formula 1.
Read at ESPN.com
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