Former F1 star makes case for Colton Herta's F1 dream with huge praise

Colton Herta, the Andretti Global IndyCar driver, has been linked with Formula 1 on multiple occasions. The 2025 season of the highest class of open-wheel racing in America is slated to start from March 2 and ahead of it, Marcus Ericsson has given his vote of confidence for Herta to join F1 in the future.

As per the former F1 driver turned IndyCar racer, Herta has what it takes to do well in the pinnacle of motorsport. While shedding light on the same, he had the following to add on the Speed Street podcast (via Motorsport):

"We all know that Formula 1 and IndyCar have two very different types of cars, from tyres to the circuits and other things. But I have no doubt that he could do really well there." Ericsson said.

Herta has been racing in IndyCar since the 2018 Grand Prix of Sonoma. He has so far competed in 99 races and has managed to come out trumps in nine of them. The 24-year-old also has 18 podiums and 14 pole positions.

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Marcus Ericsson on what Colton Herta is extremely good at while racing

Marcus Ericsson has a wealth of experience both in IndyCar and Formula 1, banking on that and Colton Herta's exploits, he feels the latter's strength is his adaptability.

In line with this, the 34-year-old added the following:

"I think sometimes he doesn't know how fast he can be in certain combinations of corners. He just has that feeling. I also think Colton is very good at adapting to different situations. The track changes, the conditions are different, there is more or less grip: then he is very good at adapting. That is what makes him so good. Once he is in the zone, he can do things with a race car that very few others can do. So he is definitely one of the best teammates I have raced against."

Colton Herta's full focus lies on the 2025 IndyCar season despite the ever-present noise linking him to F1. He recently insisted that he is fed up with the rumors.

"I've had the carrot in front of me for a while. I’m kind of tired of that being the case, and I just want to drive at this point and focus on IndyCar this year and focus on winning a championship, and if something arises out of that, I’d have to think about it," Colton Herta said via Motorsport Week.

Herta has won quite a few races in IndyCar, but has yet to amass his maiden world championship. In the 2024 season of the sport, he came within touching distance (504 points in comparison to 544) and finished in second place behind Alex Palou. Keeping this and Herta's comments in view, several eyes will be glued on him from the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg onwards.