Mario Andretti has expressed tremendous respect for Colton Herta's decision to leave a successful IndyCar career in pursuit of a Formula 1 seat. The 1978 F1 champion highlighted Herta's passion and willingness to sacrifice. Herta currently serves as test driver for the Cadillac F1 team while competing in Formula 2.
Mario Andretti, the 1978 Formula 1 world champion, voiced strong admiration for Colton Herta's bold move away from IndyCar to chase his dream in F1. Herta, who has built a solid career in American open-wheel racing, is now the test driver for the incoming Cadillac F1 team and races full-time in Formula 2, where he currently holds 10th place in the drivers' standings with six points. His next F2 outing is set for Monaco from June 4-7, coinciding with the F1 Grand Prix weekend there. Andretti, speaking to Autosport, said, 'You can tell he truly, truly wants to do it. And it has to begin there, with that passion inside and I like that. I respect that tremendously.' On the Drive to Wynn podcast, Andretti elaborated: 'I have volumes of respect for what he's trying to do because it shows me that he has pure, pure desire to be in Formula 1. And that's what it takes.' He noted that drivers in the United States can enjoy fulfilling careers in series like IndyCar, NASCAR, and IMSA, but Herta sees unfinished business in F1. 'He's willing to sacrifice, make a step back to make many steps forward,' Andretti added. The Italian-American legend shared that he recently spoke with Herta after the American's race in Melbourne, describing him as 'very up on things' and backed fully by his team. 'There's something really good to look forward to here,' Andretti concluded, emphasizing Herta's drive stems from 'pure love and desire.'