Colton Herta’s 2026 F2 campaign has marked a major transition after years of success in IndyCar, where he became one of the series’ youngest race winners.
The American driver entered F2 with significant experience from IndyCar, including 9 race victories since his debut in 2018. However, Herta has found that adapting to an F2 car requires a complete change in approach.
The move to F2 forms part of Herta’s pathway towards F1. Alongside his racing programme, he is also serving as a test and reserve driver for Cadillac F1 team.
Adjusting to the challenges of F2 machinery
Herta has spent much of the 2026 F2 season adjusting to the different demands of single-seater racing. While his IndyCar background provided valuable experience, he believes the two cars require very different driving styles.
Herta explained to the media, including Pit Debrief, that the skills he developed in IndyCar do not directly translate to the F2 car.
“Rewards-wise, probably nowhere as far as where I started at in the wintertime. The IndyCar is very different for a lot of reasons, but the way that you drive and how aggressive you can be with your inputs and multiple inputs is very different to I would say most of the cars in Europe, but specifically the F2 car,” he stated.
Herta highlighted that the F2 car has its own unique characteristics compared to both IndyCar and F1 machinery. “And I would say the F2 car kind of stands alone in its driving style and what it needs, especially compared to the F1.”
The American driver has had to adapt his mindset and understand how to extract performance from the car at each circuit. “But yeah, there has been a full overhaul that has to go through the mind and the learning process where, you know, you have to learn the tracks, but then kind of understand what I need to be doing inside the car while at these tracks to get the most out of the car for lap time.”
Despite the challenges, Herta believes his IndyCar experience could become more useful as he progresses towards F1. “So yes, I would say what I’ve learned from IndyCar, there’s not many rewards for it. The good thing is I think in Formula 1 there is a lot more similarities.”
Herta reflects on where IndyCar experience helps in F2
Although Herta does not believe his IndyCar background gives him a major advantage in F2, he has found areas where his previous experience has been valuable. When asked whether IndyCar experience gives him an advantage in F2, Herta explained that the biggest benefit comes from his race craft.
“No, not necessarily. I think they’re quite different. And, you know, I think the driving style that’s needed is quite different.”
The Hitech driver pointed towards his experience in wheel-to-wheel racing as one area where IndyCar has helped him. “I think where it can help is maybe race experience. And we seem to be very strong compared to most on the starts and first laps. But, you know, we also qualify near the back,” Herta stated.
“So it’s hard to move forward from there. But yeah, I would say that that’s kind of where the experience helps us is maybe on that first lap.”
Herta compares IndyCar and F1 characteristics
Herta previously suggested that IndyCar shares more similarities with F1 machinery than the F2 car does. He expanded on that comparison when discussing how each car responds to driver inputs.
“Without getting, I guess, too specific, like the IndyCar can do a corner and get a bit more lap time out of it. It’s kind of, it’s almost like a GT car. You can’t force anything.”
The American driver believes the biggest difference comes from how each car responds to driver inputs.
“You can’t force the car to do anything that it doesn’t want to do because it’ll fight back and you’ll lose lap time from it. Whereas, like I said, the F1 and the IndyCar, you can be a little bit more forceful on what you want the car to do and how to do it,” Herta concluded.
Herta’s first F2 season continues to be a learning process as he adapts to a new category. However, the experience is providing valuable preparation as he works towards his long term F1 ambitions.
