Colton Herta’s F1 bid takes dramatic twist after bizarre IndyCar error

Colton Herta remains one point shy of meeting the 40-point threshold required to obtain an FIA superlicence that would allow him to make his Formula 1 debut.  

Cadillac ran Herta for his fifth FP1 outing of the season at the Mexico City Grand Prix on Friday, believing that the appearance would secure him the final point he needed to be granted a superlicence. 

However, an investigation by F1’s governing body the FIA revealed the American nine-time IndyCar race winner is actually one point short. 

This confusion was caused by a remarkable error in the publication of IndyCar’s standings, which placed Herta sixth in last year’s drivers’ championship. 

Herta ended the 2025 season level on points with Felix Rosenqvist and was erroneously listed higher than his rival, who earned more second-place finishes and therefore should be ahead on count back of race results. 

The mistake was only pointed out to IndyCar by a reporter earlier this week, and the series subsequently updated its championship standings, putting Herta seventh. 

P6 in the standings would have earned Herta six points towards his superlicence but after being officially classified in P7, the FIA confirmed he only has 39 points. 

Herta will therefore have to complete a further practice session to secure his licence, which is required to race in F1. 

"A free practice only superlicence holder will be granted one additional point per FIA Formula One world championship event following successful completion of at least 100 km during a free practice session, provided that no penalty points were imposed,” the International Sport Code states. 

"A maximum total of 10 such additional points shall be considered for a super licence application. Any such points awarded will be counted on top of his sporting results, calculated under Art 13.1.5 and shall be independent of the calendar year in which the free practice session(s) was completed."

There are still four more opportunities for Cadillac to run Herta in FP1 to fulfil the final point he is missing. 

It is likely Cadillac will do this either at next weekend’s Sao Paulo Grand Prix, or in Las Vegas a fortnight later, with uncertainty lingering over the final two rounds in Qatar and Abu Dhabi amid the current instability in the war-affected Middle East. 

Cadillac is considering whether to promote Herta in place of Valtteri Bottas next season. 

On Bottas' performances, Cadillac team principal Marcin Budkowski told Sky Sports F1: “He’s done a really good race in Austin. He was strong in qualifying, he was strong at the race. That’s what he needs to do, race in, race out.”

Sergio Perez, meanwhile, has secured a contract extension with Cadillac through to the end of the decade.