Colton Herta has secured the FIA Super Licence points needed to race in Formula 1, but his prospects of earning a Cadillac seat have come under renewed scrutiny after Ralf Schumacher delivered a brutal assessment of his performances. Meanwhile, the American’s history with Andretti, George Steinbrenner and Dan Towriss offers another dimension to the debate over how he became such an important part of the organisation’s long-term plans.
The 26-year-old has spent much of 2026 trying to establish himself as a credible Formula 1 candidate. However, his difficult first season in Formula 2 has done little to silence those questioning whether he has demonstrated the necessary performance to make the step up.
There are now two separate questions surrounding Herta: whether he deserves a Formula 1 opportunity on sporting merit, and how the commercial relationships surrounding his career helped establish his position within the Andretti organisation.
Ralf Schumacher delivers a damning verdict on Herta
Schumacher has made little effort to disguise his opinion of Herta’s Formula 1 prospects.
Speaking to Sky Deutschland, the former Formula 1 driver questioned the purpose of Cadillac’s continued investment in giving the American additional Friday practice opportunities.
“Only if Easter and Christmas fall on the same day. No, honestly, it’s pointless. He’s just burning fuel, as Franz Tost would say. I really don’t know what the point of it is.”
Schumacher was particularly critical of Herta’s Formula 2 campaign, where the American has struggled to make an impression.
“Herta was really, really bad in Formula 2. In my opinion, he doesn’t deserve it at all.”
He acknowledged that Cadillac’s desire to promote an American driver was understandable, particularly given the significance of the team’s American identity. However, he insisted that nationality could not replace performance.
“I think it’s great that they’re trying to promote American drivers. But it has to make sense, and he has no place in Formula 1.”
Schumacher instead suggested Leonardo Fornaroli as a more deserving candidate. The Italian secured consecutive Formula 3 and Formula 2 championships and is currently part of McLaren’s reserve driver programme.
The Andretti, Steinbrenner and Towriss connection
Herta’s career within the Andretti organisation is worth examining because it developed alongside a number of important commercial relationships.
In 2019, the Harding Steinbrenner Racing partnership brought Herta into the wider Andretti operation. George Michael Steinbrenner IV, part of the family behind the New York Yankees, was involved in the organisation alongside Michael Andretti.
Herta subsequently moved into Andretti Autosport’s No. 26 Gainbridge Honda for the 2021 IndyCar season.
That move also brought him into a particularly important commercial relationship with Dan Towriss, the head man of Cadillac F1 (amongst other things).
Towriss, then CEO and president of Group 1001, publicly welcomed Herta as a representative of Gainbridge, describing the American as a driver whose talent and determination made him a natural fit for the brand.
The relationship continued for years, with Herta and Gainbridge extending their respective agreements with Andretti through 2027 in October 2022.
These are documented connections, rather than speculation. They demonstrate how Herta’s position within Andretti developed alongside the organisation’s commercial partnerships.
They also provide important background to the changing ownership and management relationships that eventually brought Andretti’s ambitions under the TWG Motorsports umbrella.
New questions emerge over the financial history
TJ13 has also received a personal account from an inside source describing a conversation they say took place with Roger Veach, father of former Andretti driver Zach Veach.
According to our source, Roger described previous arrangements involving Andretti and Steinbrenner as effectively stalled, with people being told to wait without receiving meaningful explanations. The account also raises questions about an alleged $25 million financial commitment involving Michael Andretti and Steinbrenner.
The suggestion is that the contribution was never actually made, and that the financial backing behind Herta’s position was connected to Steinbrenner’s business interests.
TJ13 has not independently established whether the money was committed, transferred or connected to Herta’s driver arrangements, however. Nevertheless, the historical relationship between Andretti, Steinbrenner and Towriss is independently documented, making the underlying financial questions worth investigating further. The connection would also go toward explaining why Herta has been given so much scope to join Cadillac F1 despite perhaps not having the F1 skills to back it up.
Who you know is often the most important aspect of career progression.
Cadillac faces a difficult decision over its future
Herta’s immediate challenge is to convince Cadillac that he can translate his experience into a competitive Formula 1 opportunity.
His sixth Friday practice appearance of 2026, at the Brazilian Grand Prix, delivered the final Super Licence point he needed to reach the required 40-point threshold.
However, eligibility does not guarantee promotion.
Herta finished the Brazilian practice session after replacing Sergio Perez, but his Formula 2 campaign remains a significant concern. With 26 points and 19th place in the championship, his European single-seater results have fallen well short of expectations.
Cadillac’s driver situation also complicates matters. Perez has secured a contract extension, while Valtteri Bottas’s longer-term position remains a subject of discussion. The challenge for Herta is therefore considerably bigger than obtaining the necessary licence points.
His IndyCar achievements and established relationships within Andretti have brought him to the doorstep of Formula 1. But whether those credentials, his current performances and Cadillac’s wider ambitions are enough to secure a permanent seat remains an open question.
And as the organisation continues to evolve under its new ownership structure, understanding the commercial relationships behind its earlier decisions may become just as important as understanding the decisions themselves.
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The Judge, a nom de plume of an experienced F1 journalist and site founder with long-standing sources across the paddock. With over 30 years of experience in Formula 1 as an insider journalist, I have built trusted connections across the paddock, from race engineers and mechanics to senior team figures. At The Judge 13, I and a handful of trusted colleagues share exclusive Formula 1 news, expert analysis and behind-the-scenes stories you will not find in mainstream motorsport media.
