Christian Horner discusses rumours of the American driver Colton Herta’s possible arrival in Formula 1. Red Bull Racing boss Christian Horner has spoken out about recent rumours that American Colton Herta is likely to join AlphaTauri in F1 as a replacement for Pierre Gasly, who is expected to join Alpine in 2023.
Although Pierre Gasly is contracted to AlphaTauri until the end of 2023, ‘constructive’ discussions are currently underway between Red Bull and Alpine, which has naturally opened the door wide for young Colton Herta [currently an Indycar driver] to replace Gasly at AlphaTauri next year.
Although he would not confirm the rumours, Horner did say that Red Bull was following the transfer market, and its various rumours, “with interest”. Indeed, such a move was reported on some time ago by this website, so be sure to bookmark us for your dose of paddock insider knowledge. READ MORE
“Look, he [Gasly] is a Red Bull Racing driver on loan to AlphaTauri. There are a lot of moves at the moment that we are following with interest. We’ll see how it goes,” Horner was quoted as saying by the offical F1 website.
The British team boss also confirmed that the key to Herta‘s eventual arrival will be for the young American to obtain the Superlicence, which is a prerequisite for driving in Formula 1:
“It’s a key element: you’re not going to release Pierre if you don’t have something exciting to put in the car,” confirmed Horner.
On the AlphaTauri side, Italian team boss Franz Tost insisted that he will deal with whoever Red Bull gives him:
“I don’t know him [Herta], I’ve never seen him. I don’t care which driver Red Bull gives me, it’s my job to educate them. That’s it, whoever it is,” said Tost.
The Haas team, which has not yet renewed Schumacher’s contract, could also welcome Colton Herta in 2023 alongside Kevin Magnussen, but director Guenther Steiner insists the young American is not on the list of potential candidates.
“He is not on the list at the moment, because he doesn’t have his Superlicence. But I have already said that we are looking for someone who has already driven in Formula 1. So he doesn’t belong on the list, because he doesn’t have a Superlicence,” said Steiner.
“Mick [Schumacher] is also still in the running. At the end of the day we are just following the movements, we want to wait a few more races [before making a decision],
“Mick did a very good job in Canada, Austria and Silverstone, you know, and since then the car was not at the level….and as I said before, we are not in a hurry to do anything at the moment.”
While Christian Horner is rather cautious in his comments about the possible arrival of Herta, this is not the case for Red Bull’s advisor Helmut Marko, who confirmed that Red Bull is still waiting for an answer from the FIA regarding the Superlicence that Herta needs to run in Formula 1, with the Austrian hinting that an answer could even arrive this week before the Italian Grand Prix.
“Surprisingly enough, with all the parties and teams involved, we have found an agreement. But first we have to get a definite answer [from the FIA], and I think that should happen for Monza…yes Monza I think,” Marko told SpeedCity Broadcasting on Sunday evening, just after the Dutch GP had finished.
If Herta ever joins AlphaTauri next year, then he would become the first American driver to compete in the top category of motorsport since Alexander Rossi in 2015 (at Marussia).
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