Colton Herta has explained why it was important for him and his team to start off strong at the Thermal Club Grand Prix race weekend. The 24-year-old, who has his sights set on a strong showing with his team, starts the California event in fourth place.
The Andretti Autosport star, alongside his teammates Kyle Kirkwood and Marcus Ericsson, were among the strongest performers during qualifying, with Herta’s teammates qualifying in fifth and eighth, respectively.
Speaking to the media ahead of Sunday's race, Colton Herta detailed how offseason testing at the Palm Springs circuit played a significant role in his team's strong performance leading up to the event.
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As quoted by Kickin’ the Tires, the American-born racer stated:
“I mean, good start for all the Andretti cars. All in the top 5. Just happy with that,” Herta said.
“This is a place where we tested, so really wanted to start off on the right foot. If we’re not quick right away after a place that you’ve tested at, it’s a little disappointing. You scratch your heads a little bit. So to start off that way is a little bit expected because we tested here, but it feels good.”
The former Harding Steinbrenner Racing star, who secured a second-row qualification, will now be eyeing the possibility of converting his impressive qualifying into a victory. Colton Herta’s last IndyCar race victory came at the 2024 Music City Grand Prix at the Nashville Superspeedway.
Colton Herta reflects on Thermal Grand Prix practice
Colton Herta also previously shared his thoughts on the practice session of the Thermal Club Grand Prix. The former British Formula 3 driver detailed the slight differences in track conditions compared to its state during offseason testing.
The Formula 1-linked star had expressed his concern about the gap on the timing sheets recorded by several drivers ahead of the race.
"It's pretty different. When we were here, it was 30 degrees cooler with a different tire. It would be nice if it was a little closer to what we had this weekend, but there are still general things. And the general balance is somewhat similar,” the Andretti driver said, speaking to FOX Sports.
Colton Herta had a weekend laced with mixed fortunes during the 2024 edition of the Thermal Club race—which served as an exhibition event rather than a championship points-scoring race.
The nine-time IndyCar Grand Prix winner recorded eighth-place, seventh-place, sixth-place, second-place, and fourth-place finishes in various exhibition races held at the 3.06-mile circuit last year. Herta who finished second on the 2024 IndyCar drivers series standings will, however, have his sights set on an overall improved result, and his qualifying position appears to set him up for an impressive race weekend.
