IndyCar driver Pato O’Ward has reacted to Colton Herta’s transfer to Method 2 alongside a take a look at driver function, arguing that the American driver doubtless has a proposal for a Method 1 seat in 2027.
Herta signed with the Cadillac F1 Staff as a take a look at driver alongside a seat with Hitech in F2 as he works to achieve the required superlicence factors to compete in F1 sooner or later.
“He is very proficient,” O’Ward advised RACER. “He is been an excellent competitor in IndyCar, and I want him one of the best. I believe I would be shocked to not see him in a Method 1 [seat] in 2027. I do not suppose he’d be doing this change if that wasn’t on the desk for him.
“So I am tremendous excited for him, and I really need him to do nicely, as a result of he’ll be our IndyCar illustration. I believe he would not simply have himself on board. I believe he is undoubtedly received a number of guys which might be pushing for him to do nicely exterior of simply being in Method 2 subsequent yr. We would like him to make it to Method 1, and we would like him to do nicely.”
The Mexican driver added: “The duty is tall. The tires are very completely different. The automotive is far worse than an Indy automotive, so he is undoubtedly downgrading when it comes to automotive capabilities and automotive feeling.
“Like I stated, I would be shocked to know that he is doing this simply to do it. I undoubtedly know… Nicely, I do not know, however I actually hope that is the case, that he is doing it as a result of he has a Method 1 seat, as a result of in any other case he’ll actually miss IndyCar. I do know he’ll.”
Whereas the transfer to F2 is a danger, Cadillac F1 Staff CEO Dan Towriss argued that with out danger, there isn’t a reward.
Pato O’Ward, McLaren
Picture by: Andy Hone/ LAT Photographs by way of Getty Photographs
“For Colton, this has at all times been a dream of his, to drive in F1, however to do this, that is the trail he needed to take,” Towriss advised Sky Sports activities F1. “He has to take an enormous danger, an enormous quantity of danger – no seat is assured. That is F1, so he desires to study tracks and tyres and present that respect to European open-wheel racing.
“The entitlement mannequin from the US hasn’t labored out that nicely prior to now, so we actually wish to construct that physique of labor, the information that’s crucial, to see if he has what it takes to drive in Method 1.
“He actually is a particular expertise,” added Towriss. “I believe lots of people take a look at a number of the ends in IndyCar and say, ‘Nicely, he hasn’t gained a championship, he’s not with [multiple champion] Alex Palou’.
“I believe as a staff proprietor I’d take some duty for that; there have been occasions the place there have been troubles on pitlane or technique didn’t work out, however Colton’s an immense expertise and he actually can discover velocity the place others can’t.
“I believe any time he’s had an opportunity to do a take a look at, whether or not it was with McLaren, or time that he’s been within the sim with Alpine, Pink Bull and Sauber, from that standpoint he actually has excelled and proven actually excessive potential and promise for an F1 seat.
“Now that is the prospect to do it. He’s had to decide on this path of taking a giant danger to not have that assure of the seat. He’s forsaking what at this level could be very comfy for him, to decide on one thing that’s uncomfortable for him – however no danger, no reward, as they are saying.”
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