Colton Herta will not compete in the 2026 Indy 500

It's an absence that won't go unnoticed. A former figure in the peloton of...IndyCar gone for the Formula 2Colton Herta will not be competing in the 2026 Indy 500. The reason is primarily logistical: the legendary race takes place on the weekend of May 24th, the same weekend as the Formula 2 race in Montreal, which was added to the calendar to compensate for the cancellations of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian events. It's a crucial race for a driver engaged in a tight battle for Super Licence points.

For Andretti, the initial plan did indeed include fielding a fourth car with Colton Herta as the headliner. “We were working on a fourth car, and our priority was Colton.”explains the team manager Ron Ruzewski at Racer. "But we are committed to his Formula 2 program." Faced with this unavailability, the team finally decided against entering an additional car. "There was a lot of interest, but we want to remain focused on our current lineup."Andretti will therefore rely solely on his three regular drivers, including Kyle Kirkwood, the championship leader, Will Power, winner of the 2018 edition, and Marcus Ericsson, winner in 2022. A decision that reflects a desire for stability rather than opportunistic expansion.

A new goal for Colton Herta

At 26, Herta is no longer an unknown in the world of motorsports. The son of Bryan Herta—himself a former driver and now a team principal—he quickly established himself as one of the most promising talents of his generation in IndyCar. The youngest winner in championship history with his victory in Austin in 2019, he now boasts nine wins and has been in contention for the title on several occasions, with his best result being runner-up in 2024, 32 points behind Álex Palou (544-512). His history with the Indy 500, however, remains mixed. Despite seven appearances, he has never truly challenged for the win on the Indiana oval. His best finishes are eighth and ninth places, in 2020 and 2023 respectively.

But in 2026, priorities shifted. Committed full-time to Formula 2, Herta embarked on a new challenge: successfully transitioning to European categories and accumulating the valuable points needed to obtain a Super Licence. With only one race since the start of the season, his results demonstrate a gradual but encouraging adaptation. While not yet a consistent contender for victory, he secured a sixteenth-place finish in the sprint race and a seventh-place finish in the feature race. This consistency is crucial: in Formula 2, every race counts, and missing a round can severely penalize a driver in the overall standings. In this context, skipping Montreal would have jeopardized his long-term ambitions. The decision to forgo the Indy 500 thus appears to be a rational one, guided by a clear objective: to open the doors to the Formula 1.

This career shift is also part of a broader strategy. Colton Herta's plan is to join Cadillac in Formula 1 by 2028. By forgoing the Indianapolis 500, Herta is temporarily turning his back on one of motorsport's most iconic races. But this sacrifice is part of a strategic plan: that of a driver ready to redefine his career to reach the ultimate goal, Formula 1. So, tune in the weekend of May 1st to 3rd for the first American Formula 2 race in Miami, followed three weeks later by Montreal (May 22nd to 24th).

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