Colton Herta asks Firestone for major tire change after IndyCar's Long Beach race

Colton Herta was among the many drivers who started the 2025 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach on the soft alternate tires and got rid of them within a few laps. The drivers then essentially ran the whole race on the primary tires. Herta came out after the race and asked IndyCar's tire supplier Firestone, to make a major change to avoid such circumstances.

Firestone introduced new tire compounds for the 2025 IndyCar season, which included the soft alternate tire, which was softer and had higher degrading than the one used in 2024. This was brought in to make the races more interesting and promote multiple pit stops during a race.

Unfortunately, the said tire turned out to have an extremely short lifespan and working window. As a result, most drivers got rid of the alternate tires with 5-6 laps at the Long Beach GP. Josef Newgarden got rid of the tires in just a couple of laps to switch to the primary tires.

Herta spoke with Frontstretch after the race and explained the same to the reporter. The Andretti Global driver said,

“Yeah, you know, I think Firestone listened to what we were saying, which is we probably need a little bit more dagger, but they did it the wrong way. I think we kind of went a little bit too far down to where it's the strategy to disagree. You kind of start on them and then you get off. It basically just makes it a one compound race.” (0:34 onwards)

“I would like to see it work on it a little bit, hopefully make it a little bit better. But in the end of the day, this is kind of what we asked for, and I think maybe higher center is going to shot a little something like that,” added Colton Herta

The American started the race in P2 but lost ground to the leaders after the first round of pit stops as everyone rushed to get rid of the alternate tires. Herta was then stuck fighting with Scott McLaughlin and Newgarden, as he lost time to race leader Kyle Kirkwood because of the contesting for position.

Cold tires prevented Colton Herta from taking the pole position at Long Beach

Despite being a much softer compound, the Firestone alternate tires need a couple of laps before coming into the optimal operating window. Unfortunately for Colton Herta, he didn't have enough time for a preparation lap and started the final lap right after the outlap. Speaking about how it lost him time to teammate Kyle Kirkwood, Herta said (via FOX broadcast)

“So the tires started off a little bit cold, but they got there in the end after maybe three or four corners. So I'm guessing the time loss to Kyle is probably in those first few corners. So it sucks. This is a pole I feel like I should have gotten without getting a penalty and going off in the first run. But still can't be mad at a front row.”

Pato O'Ward struggled to get the alternate tires into the operating window at the season opener at St. Pete. It is yet to be seen how the new alternates work around an oval circuit.