Herta’s F2 switch ‘showing respect to European open-wheel racing’ - Towriss

TWG Motorsports and Cadillac Formula 1 Team CEO Dan Towriss says Colton Herta’s switch to Formula 2 shows respect to the different challenges of racing based in Europe.

Herta is leaving IndyCar to race in F2 in 2026 alongside a Cadillac F1 Team test driver role, with the Californian needing to score six Super License points to meet the requirements to race in F1. While F2 offers more points than IndyCar, Towriss (pictured above) told RACER the differences in racing in IndyCar and F1 mean Herta will benefit from the time in the feeder series to gain further experience.

“I think this also is a nod to showing respect to European open-wheel racing,” Towriss said. “I think we've seen a lot of times someone says, ‘Oh, well, you're the IndyCar champion and now you're going to move over to Formula 1.’ And it's like that entitlement approach hasn't worked in the past. Everything has to be earned and each series is different.

"So I think the fact that Colton is viewing it the way that he is and showing that respect coming in, I think that's the right way for an American driver to come in, certainly for us on the Cadillac Formula 1 side.”

While Herta’s future F2 team has yet to be fully finalized, Towriss has confirmed the 25-year-old will join the series and he believes it represents a different approach to helping an American talent reach F1 and ultimately be successful.

“It certainly seems like an obvious path from that standpoint, in terms of just the knowledge that's needed to feel the cars, knowing the tires and the tracks," Towriss said. "I guess at what point they come over, whether they need to come over right after karting or at a later stage.

“Historically we've had this problem that if drivers from the U.S. leave too early they obviously have learned the series, but then kind of the U.S. fans don't know who they are. So how do you position that where the U.S. fans know who they are? They've created a body of work in the U.S. and now have this opportunity to race in Formula 1. So we have that opportunity with Colton, with what he's going to do, but that's unique and not easy to come by.”

It’s not just on the TWG side of the team that Herta has impressed, either, with team principal Graeme Lowdon saying the nine-time IndyCar race winner has all of the attributes to succeed because of the way he will go about the transition into F2.

“From the first contact that I've had with Colton, one of the things that really impressed me was he has a humble approach,” Lowdon added to RACER. “The best people at everything always have that humble approach because they have a belief in their ability – and that came across really strongly – but there's no illusions as well.

“He knows that if he does Formula 2 racing for whatever reason, whether it's to learn tires or to get used to something or whatever, he knows that the competition there will be absolutely extreme in terms of talent and everything. And I like that people have respect for the competition.

“Just the whole way he's approached it, I couldn't fault at all. And it gives us an awful lot of confidence in the team as well. Nobody comes to this team entitled in any way, shape or form. The team's always the biggest thing and it just gives me a lot of confidence for the future relationship and the contribution that he can make to the team.”