Colton Herta withdraws from planned 2026 Indianapolis 500 return
NXTbets Pro | Published On: October 20, 2026
A change of plans
Colton Herta pulled out of his planned return to the Indianapolis 500, even as he insisted the race remained on his wish list. Herta said he “100 per cent” wanted to come back to the Indianapolis 500 and would never turn it down, but his move toward Formula 1 with Cadillac had left his schedule in flux and forced the change. He had shifted from IndyCar to Formula 2 this season to chase the FIA Super Licence points needed for a Formula 1 seat, and he had planned to race in the 500 while that path continued. Instead, he withdrew after two Formula 2 rounds were rescheduled to Miami and Montreal, a change that complicated the calendar he was trying to balance. Herta’s future racing plans remained unsettled as he continued working toward the Formula 1 opportunity. The Indianapolis 500 still sat in the background as a race he clearly wanted back on his calendar, but his focus stayed on the program that could open the door to the next step in his career.
Formula 2 grind
The Formula 2 season had been a tough one for Herta, and the numbers showed how much work remained. With two rounds left at Qatar and Abu Dhabi, he sat 19th in the standings and still needed more FIA Super Licence points. He also had not reached the podium in Formula 2, a marker that underscored how difficult the transition had been. Formula 2 CEO Bruno Michel said Herta’s debut season had been more difficult than expected, especially in qualifying, and he hoped Herta could finish the year strongly. Herta had carried a heavy load across multiple programs, too. He had combined his Formula 2 campaign with IMSA endurance races for Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing and collected a podium finish at Petit Le Mans, a reminder that the pace had not disappeared from his résumé. Even so, the Formula 2 results had left him chasing rather than cruising, and the Super Licence target remained the key piece of the puzzle as he pushed toward Formula 1. The season had tested his adaptability, his qualifying execution and his ability to string together results in a new discipline.
Cadillac test
Herta’s next high-profile run was in Formula 1, where he was set to drive for Cadillac in first practice at the United States Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas, replacing Sergio Perez. Cadillac said the outing was part of the team’s late-season rookie-session requirements, and it was Herta’s fourth FP1 appearance of the year. His earlier runs came at Barcelona, Hungary and Monza, giving him a growing list of first-practice laps across different circuits. COTA carried extra meaning for him, too. Herta said driving the MAC-26 in front of American fans there would be special, and he wanted to deliver a clean test with useful feedback for the team. He also pointed to his history at the track, saying he won his first IndyCar race there in 2019. That connection gave the weekend a familiar backdrop even as the larger story stayed centered on his move toward Formula 1. The COTA session offered Cadillac another chance to evaluate him in a live environment and gave Herta a chance to keep building experience in a seat that mattered to his long-term plans.
