Deal with Andretti Autosport driver includes yet-t0-be-scheduled test sessions as Herta continues on a path toward Formula 1.
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Andretti Autosport NTT IndyCar Series driver Colton Herta is embarking on a Formula 1 testing program with McLaren Racing.
Six-time IndyCar winner Herta was linked to a Formula 1 seat last year when his current team boss Michael Andretti was negotiating over the prospect of acquiring the Sauber-run Alfa Romeo team. That plan fell through, but Andretti has submitted an entry to the FIA over becoming a new team from 2024, with Herta ostensibly part of its plans, and it is awaiting news from the governing body over that development.
On Saturday it was revealed that 21-year-old Herta will get opportunities to sample Formula 1 machinery with McLaren through the course of 2022. Herta has finished in the top-five in the NTT IndyCar season standings each of the past two seasons.
While no specific outings at Grands Prix are currently lined up, Herta is set for private tests in McLaren’s 2021-spec MCL35M, under revised rules that permit Formula 1 teams to run drivers in one-year-old cars.
Colton Herta finished fourth in the IndyCar season-opener at St. Petersburg, Florida.
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Herta’s exact schedule has not yet been communicated.
“Colton is a proven talent in IndyCar and we will be interested to see how he adapts to a Formula 1 car,” said McLaren team principal Andreas Seidl. “We believe this testing program will provide him with valuable experience while demonstrating the benefit of expanding previous car testing to showcase promising drivers for the future.”
Said Herta: “I want to thank McLaren for the opportunity to get my first laps in a Formula 1 car, which has always been on my racing bucket list. This will be a great opportunity for me to gain some valuable experience in a new form of motorsport and learn from such an established team like McLaren F1.”
McLaren and Andretti have previously had a close relationship, with Fernando Alonso running the 2017 Indy 500 in a collaborative effort between the parties. The United Autosports team co-owned by McLaren CEO Zak Brown also competes in Extreme E and Australia’s Supercar series in conjunction with Andretti Autosport.
McLaren’s Formula 1 team already has Daniel Ricciardo and Lando Norris signed up for next year, with Norris recently agreeing a deal that runs through 2025.
Keyword: IndyCar Driver Colton Herta Signs F1 Testing Deal with McLaren