The journey looks the toughest right before dawn. Michael Andretti, leader of the IndyCar star team Andretti Global, has been vying for an F1 entry since 2023. Although the FIA approved their entry in October 2023, F1 management reversed that in January 2024. The prospects seemed to grow bleaker until Michael stepped down—and immediately after, F1 announced its 11th entry for 2026.

Cadillac F1, Andretti Global’s team, has heavy expectations about its driver entry. Standing at the top of that list was IndyCar star Colton Herta. He dazzled his fans in 2024 by finishing second in the championship standings. Even though he is close to grabbing his F1 opportunity, Herta feels down.

Michael Andretti’s talent sees dwindling hope

In 2022, Michael Andretti’s team clarified that Colton Herta would be its first choice if it ever got an F1 entry. Then RedBull’s second team AlphaTauri offered him a second chance – which dissolved because Herta’s credentials did not match. Finally, Herta’s name has been thrust forward for Cadillac F1 in 2026.

However, there is a hurdle to cross. Herta needs a super license, which can only be granted after he picks up 40 points in any championship. With the points counted in his seasons since 2021, Herta accumulated 30 points in 2024 because of his runner-up finish. He currently has 39 points.

Yet despite being so close to fulfilling his Formula One ambition, Colton Herta is not so hopeful. He seemed tired to even answer questions regarding the topic: “I guess the answer to that is I didn’t even know what the math was to get a superlicense. If it happens, it happens, great, and then I’ll have a decision to make, if I’m still wanted. If it doesn’t happen, then poor me, I’m stuck racing IndyCars. I’ll be alright either way.”

If Michael Andretti’s star lives up to his expectations and gets into F1, he will be an older-than-usual rookie. Herta turns 25 in March this year.

Besides, the atmosphere in Andretti Global has been strange since Michael Andretti, who founded the team two decades ago, stepped down. Andretti had backed up Herta’s F1 entry the most. Although Mario Andretti, Michael’s father, continues to hype up Herta as the F1 entry name, the latter is feeling numb. That is because of his multiple failures in the past: “I don’t really have a concern with it at all. I’ve kind of been dragged around in this talk for, it feels like, half a decade now. I’ve had the carrot in front of me for a while.”

What concerns Colton Herta more is his super license chances.

Being aware of the shortcomings

Colton Herta may be dangerously close to securing his Formula One seat, but something bugs him. He could have attained his super license earlier, had he performed better. In 2022 and 2023, Herta could not dazzle as he clinched only a single point in each season. Last year, Michael Andretti’s star put up a strong fight against Spaniard Alex Palou, a Chip Ganassi Racing driver. Herta dominantly won the Nashville Superspeedway finale, rocketing him up to second place. However, it could have been first place if Herta had not slipped up on certain occasions.

Ranging from missing a yellow flag to signing up for a wreck, Michael Andretti’s F1 prospect faced four unfortunate incidents. Herta explained recently: “There were four things last year. Crash at Indy, crash in Detroit, missing the yellow in Iowa when Alex crashed, and the right front [wheel] coming off in Milwaukee. Those are the big things that we’re kind of looking at…Two of those are my problem and two of those are the team, so we’re trying to right that wrong, and that’s something that we kind of picked out – as if one of those races goes differently from the position that I’m running in, we really had a chance at being a champion.”

However, Colton Herta merely needs to perform slightly better than his 2024 bid. Then his ambition and Michael Andretti’s efforts will finally come to fruition.