The popularity of Formula 1 in the US continues to grow, next year there will be three rounds on American circuits – in Miami, Austin and Las Vegas – but there are still no riders representing American motorsport in the championship.
It was hoped that Colton Herta would make his F1 debut in 2023, but he does not have an FIA Super License and this has proved an insurmountable obstacle.
A month ago we quoted Bobby Epstein, promoter of the US Grand Prix, who emphasized the importance of a good American driver in the championship and as part of a good team.
In an interview with The Race, Epstein expressed hope that Herta would still have a chance to enter Formula 1, even though that is not possible at the moment.
“I don’t think there is a final chapter in this story,” he said. – I hope to see him in Formula 1 in the future, even if it won’t happen next year. I would love to see him on the grid, especially as part of a competitive team, which is just as important.”
And yet a driver from the United States can make his debut in Formula 1 as early as 2023: we are talking about Logan Sargent, a member of the Williams youth program, who competes in F2. But firstly, he also needs a super license and secondly, Logan’s results should convince Williams that he should bet on him.
At the same time, Epstein thinks it would be more convenient for Formula 1 to have a driver appear in the championship who already has a reputation for quality with the United States: “I’ve probably been asked a thousand times about an American driver. And no one paid attention to the fact that there is a difference, and a big difference, when such a racer comes to the World Cup, having first achieved success in American motorsport.
Alexander Rossi, for example, went the other way: when he was in Formula 1, people didn’t notice him because it was only then that he started performing in IndyCar.
So it will be a unique situation that Formula 1 benefits from if such a driver moves from IndyCar to the championship, and not from the traditional youth series. There will be interest in him. Although this interest may only last a year if this rider does not perform at a good level. But there will certainly be interest…”
With Colton Herta driving IndyCar for Michael Andretti’s team, it’s likely his best shot at getting into Formula 1 is if the Andretti Global project gets the green light. Of course, you’ll also need a super license – by the way, the FIA may revise its issuing rules in the near future, and the best IndyCar drivers will get at least as many points as the youngsters who excel in Formula 2 received.
Colton Herta took 3rd place at the end of the season in 2020 in IndyCar, for which he got 20 points, and if he had driven in F2, he would already have a super license with the same result: there all top three get 40 points .
Source: F1 News
I’m Todderic Kirkman, a journalist and author for athletistic. I specialize in covering all news related to sports, ranging from basketball to football and everything in between. With over 10 years of experience in the industry, I have become an invaluable asset to my team. My ambition is to bring the most up-to-date information on sports topics around the world.
