Herta ‘relearning a lot of emotions’ as F2 results continue to lag

Colton Herta says he is still gaining the experience he needs in Formula 2, despite a lack of results leading him to have to adjust his emotions and expectations.

The Cadillac Formula 1 team's third driver made the switch from IndyCar to prepare himself for a future F1 seat, using the feeder series to gain knowledge of Pirelli tires, a number of F1 circuits and potentially super license points. After a run of five races without scoring, Herta sits 17th in the standings at the halfway point of the season, but still sees positives in the experience so far.

“Some good, some bad,” Herta said. “I think you look at the positives of what I'm learning with the tires, with the tracks, the understanding I'm gaining from that, which will be super important for the future.

“Obviously the results are disappointing. There's no hiding from it. And for me, kind of with my background, I've always been able to win and compete, so it's been a little bit of a relearning of a lot of emotions this year.

“I think we're working hard to try to turn it around, but I think it's in my nature to want to compete and want to race and want to win and be competitive, and so it's disappointing when you just haven't been.”

Herta (No. 4) has found his F2 rivals as good as he expected. Dom Gibbons/Formula 1 via Getty Images

Despite the struggles in terms of results and performances, Herta says he never underestimated the challenge in terms of the quality of drivers he’s facing in Formula 2.

“I held the F2 drivers to a really high standard, especially because I've raced against a bunch of them in IndyCar and I know what they're capable of. I mean, [Christian] Lundgaard's probably the greatest example right now, who started on pole for the IndyCar race this Sunday.

“I think we all know what a lot of these guys are capable of over here. When you look at the raw speed, they're all F1 ready for the most part. And so, I knew what I was getting myself into as far as that and the capability of everybody. So, yes, I guess not surprised by that aspect, but maybe a little bit more surprised by the performance and the lack of capitalization so far this year.”

The Californian says he will be targeting incremental steps in the second half of the season, but won’t readjust his overall aims to be competing at the sharp end this year.

“Little improvements – I think that that's kind of all we can look at at the moment, is making those small steps on balance, on, the team side, but then also on my side. So, trying to continue to improve.

“But the racer in me, it's like, I want to win. So that's ultimately the goal. How realistic or unrealistic at the moment, who knows? But that's kind of where my thinking still is.”