Andretti Cadillac Eyes Colton Herta as Top Driver for Formula 1 Debut in 2025

In a significant development for Formula 1, Andretti Cadillac has identified Colton Herta as their preferred driver for their anticipated 2025 entry. Despite the team’s confirmation status still pending, plans are in full swing under Michael Andretti’s leadership.

Key Takeaways:

• Colton Herta as Primary Choice: Andretti Cadillac’s top pick for a driver is Colton Herta, an American IndyCar driver who was previously considered by AlphaTauri. The team is hopeful Herta will accumulate the necessary super license points to qualify for F1 racing by 2025.
• Team Status and F1 Entry: While still awaiting official confirmation to become the 11th team in F1, Andretti Cadillac has received FIA approval. A crucial step remains in finalizing a deal with Formula 1 Management for their grid entry.
• Renault Engine Deal and Car Development: The team is optimistic about renewing their pre-contract with Renault for engine supply. They have also made significant progress in car development, with a 2023 spec ground effect car ready for wind tunnel testing.

As the motorsport world eagerly anticipates the expansion of the Formula 1 grid, Andretti Cadillac’s ambitious plans for a 2025 entry are becoming more tangible. The American team, led by the experienced Michael Andretti, is making strategic moves to establish its presence in the elite racing league.

The choice of Colton Herta as the primary driver reflects the team’s commitment to fostering American talent in F1. Herta, 23, has shown promise in the IndyCar series and was previously in talks with AlphaTauri. However, his move to F1 was hindered by the lack of necessary super license points. Andretti is optimistic that Herta will overcome this hurdle in time for the 2025 season.

In a conversation with Sky Sports F1, Michael Andretti expressed his views on the team’s driver lineup, stating, “Besides Dad [Mario Andretti], obviously, we talked a lot about Colton. Colton is definitely at the top of our list, but we have the points problem, so we have to see how he does in IndyCar to hopefully get enough points to get a super licence. Then, we’ve talked to a few others as well that do qualify. The goal is to have at least one American in the car and then an experienced driver in the other car to help mentor that.”

The team’s entry into F1 also hinges on securing an engine deal, with talks ongoing to renew a pre-contract with Renault. Although the deal is not yet finalized, Andretti’s confidence in securing Renault’s engines is evident. He remarked, “I mean, technically the agreement [with Renault] went out but once we get our approval then you know that that’ll be fixed. At the moment we are still shooting for 2025. Our car is actually going to be in the wind tunnel next week, so we have a car already built up in 2023 spec. We are flat-out and we are building a team, so at the moment it is ’25 but could be ’26, we’ll see.”

This blend of new talent, experienced leadership, and technical advancement positions Andretti Cadillac as a team to watch in the coming years, potentially bringing a fresh dynamic to the Formula 1 grid.