Hitech driver Colton Herta has appeared to confirm that he will not return to Formula 2 for a second season in 2027.
The American, who also currently serves as a reserve driver for Cadillac F1 Team, has struggled during his rookie season in the series.
After having suffered a heavy crash during qualifying in Madrid, Herta was too unwell to participate in both the Sprint and Feature races at the new circuit.
Coming from a successful career in IndyCar, Herta made the transition to F2 for the 2026 season with ambitions of eventually racing in Formula 1. The American driver is set to participate in four F1 free practice sessions this year, having carried out his first in Barcelona, and two more in Hungary and Italy.
In order to be eligible for an F1 seat, Herta needs an additional two Super Licence points, which are primarily amassed through results in junior categories and rookie FP1 sessions. He currently sits 19th in the F2 drivers’ standings with just 26 points – a result that would not score him any points towards a Super Licence.
Asked whether he had been expecting F2 to be as difficult as he had found it, Herta was quoted as saying: “I think I was already expecting a lot of that. I’ve actually always assumed it would be difficult because I know the standard.
“I’ve raced against drivers who’ve been successful in Formula 2, and also against drivers who’ve moved from Formula 2 to IndyCar and performed well there.
“So I know how fast these drivers are – there was never any doubt about that. I knew from the start that it would be a challenge.”
Colton Herta said to be ‘uninterested’ in continuing in F2
Most of Hitech’s 96 championship points have been scored by Herta’s more experienced teammate, Ritomo Miyata. The Japanese driver has amassed 70 points across eight races so far, including a victory and podium in Madrid.
When probed as to what he believes have been the team’s biggest challenges, Herta said: “It’s hard to say. But one thing is clear: we simply have to improve. We’re actually not fast enough in almost every area, which I find frustrating.
“But I can only work on the things I can influence myself, give my best in those areas and try to support the team and help them as much as possible wherever I can.”
The American driver made it clear he has no intentions of returning to F2 for another season. It’s yet unclear whether this could indicate a return to IndyCar, where he has previously found more success.
“I think we’ll just have to wait and see,” Herta said. “But I’m not interested in another year in Formula 2.”
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