Why Herta Shouldn't Go to F1

[3798j]

Here's an interesting piece explaining why a move to F1 could easily not be the best for Colton Herta. The more I think about it, the more I'm in agreement. He's built a following in IndyCar through brilliant drives. Being a backmarker in F1 impresses only the hard core F1 follower (#there aren't enough quality seats).

https://racer.com/2021/10/13/pruett-...-colton-herta/

[M3WC]

Originally Posted by 3798j

Here's an interesting piece explaining why a move to F1 could easily not be the best for Colton Herta. The more I think about it, the more I'm in agreement. He's built a following in IndyCar through brilliant drives. Being a backmarker in F1 impresses only the hard core F1 follower (#there aren't enough quality seats).

https://racer.com/2021/10/13/pruett-...-colton-herta/

You have to try it if given the chance. He is young, he can also come back to Indycar and dominate. With Andretti buying into Alfa, it is happening.

Pruett telling him to wait, Michael might have something to say about that. Michael spent 9 successful seasons in CART before jumping to F1 were he failed. Had Michael made the move as a younger and more hungry driver, he might have had a better chance.

[MKSixer]

Originally Posted by M3WC

You have to try it if given the chance. He is young, he can also come back to Indycar and dominate. With Andretti buying into Alfa, it is happening.

Pruett telling him to wait, Michael might have something to say about that. Michael spent 9 successful seasons in CART before jumping to F1 were he failed. Had Michael made the move as a younger and more hungry driver, he might have had a better chance.

I agree with this 100 percent. He may as well take a swing at the ball...his reputation won't suffer and he can always return with more experience against the highest concentration of driver talent on the planet. A win for him in any case.

[3798j]

Maybe, as an IndyCar fan (and a Formula 1 fan), I'm being selfish...
"For IndyCar fans, 21-year-old Colton Herta is already an unforgettable talent. In on-board videos, he pops as the driver just a bit closer to the limit than anyone else. On timing sheets, he's the one liable to show up a half-second faster than anyone else. In races, he's the one that can pass half the field in 30 laps on a street circuit." --- Road&Track

https://www.roadandtrack.com/news/a3...for-formula-1/

[Killed by Death]

[GuidoK]

Originally Posted by M3WC

You have to try it if given the chance. He is young, he can also come back to Indycar and dominate.

But is that beneficial to his career?
It's very rare in F1 to get decent points in the first 1 or 2 years, as getting a place within a top team as a newcomer is very very rare.
Wouldn't he then just confirm the stigma that US drivers generally don't do well in F1? (the arguably only succesful performer of the last half century being Mario Andretti)

If a driver goes to the F1 scene with the opinion/attitude that he can always go back to indycar instead of going to the F1 scene as that being the highest goal achievable, I wonder if that would make a good material in F1.

The only exception was imo Jacques Villeneuve (obviously not American), he immediately started in then top team Williams, coming out of indy car series.
But Alfa Romeo is of cours far from a top team currently.

[3798j]

This writer says everything becomes very clear during the USGP weekend. It's his opinion that the Andretti purchase of Alfa Romeo looks promising and that Herta goes to F1 in '23.

[M3WC]

Originally Posted by 3798j

Maybe, as an IndyCar fan (and a Formula 1 fan), I'm being selfish...

I am an Indycar fan too. Actually I am a fan before Indycar, CART and Champ Car days. I always enjoyed in the past seeing CART talent go to F1. I was a big JPM fan back in the day.

Originally Posted by GuidoK

But is that beneficial to his career?

Yes, he will get to test his talent against Bottas. A veteran driver on the F1 grid and a great teammate to learn from. If he shines against Bottas, he can get another ride.

He is 21. He can literally go spend however many years in F1 and come home to race in Indycar for decades more. Helio is 46 years old and just signed for a full Indycar season next year.

Originally Posted by GuidoK

If a driver goes to the F1 scene with the opinion/attitude that he can always go back to indycar instead of going to the F1 scene as that being the highest goal achievable, I wonder if that would make a good material in F1.

I don't think that is Colton's mindset at all, just an outsiders view of the matter(nothing to lose). Colton I am sure is overloaded with confidence, being young and hungry. His dad has been prepping him to race his entire life...an American version Max and his dad.

[GuidoK]

Originally Posted by M3WC

He is 21. He can literally go spend however many years in F1 and come home to race in Indycar for decades more. Helio is 46 years old and just signed for a full Indycar season next year.

Sure but that probably means that he should be spending probably at least 3-5 years in F1 to become really succesful.
Going back to indycars can indeed be done on high age; lots of aged/retired F1 drivers went to indycar and became succesful immediately.

But with the F1 adventure: I mean I don't think it was beneficial for example how Michael Andretti did it. When he came to F1 he already had a very succesful indycar career and was brought to F1 as a 'star', but during the less than 2 years in F1 he was largely outclassed imo. I wasn't impressed back then at least, concluding (maybe hastily, but information was back then not as easy on our fingertips as it is now) that indycar certainly wasn't F1 from a drivers pov.

This page (from mclaren nontheless) pretty much gives the feeling I also had about Michael Andretti's "F1 adventure", a big fail.
https://www.mclaren.com/racing/herit...hael-andretti/
Luckily if Herta comes to Alfa, he can learn 1st hand on what to look out for.

As far as learning from Bottas....
He is a driver that is demoted from the best team to the 2nd worst team.
From a team that has currently 433 WDC points to a team that has currently 7 WDC points.
Alfa Romeo just isn't a competitive team, not by a long shot.

[M5Rick]

The FIA can grant a super licence in 'exceptional' cases and with the state of F1 now and this acquisition of Alfa then I can see Herta coming in to add some badly needed spice to the underdogs.
https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/96611...ink=inarticle2

[3798j]

Looks like the deal for the Alfa Romeo team has hit a dollar roadblock...owners feel the team is worth more than the Andretti $300m offer.

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/71...-sauber-offer/

[3798j]

...and now we have Ralf Schumacher proclaiming it's a done deal...Michael Andretti has the reins.

https://thesportsrush.com/f1-news-th...s-a-done-deal/

[3798j]

Toto Wolff says Sauber and other teams are undervalued (as he invests more in MB). Says they shouldn't sell to Andretti.

https://www.essentiallysports.com/f1...retti-f1-sale/

[3798j]

Andretti terminates talks with Sauber. Deal reported off because controlling owner, Swedish Billionaire Finn Rausing, wants more money.
https://f1i.com/news/422674-andretti...th-sauber.html