Colton Herta's F1 Debut Delayed Due to Point Calculation Error
The American driver's move to Cadillac for the 2026 Formula 1 season is on hold after a point tally mistake.
Colton Herta’s eagerly anticipated transition to Formula 1 has hit a minor snag, thanks to a miscalculation of his superlicence points. The American driver, who aims to take over Valtteri Bottas's seat for Cadillac next year, needed just one more point to secure the necessary 40 points required for the prestigious racing category 1. However, a discrepancy on IndyCar’s website initially showed Herta in sixth place rather than his actual seventh position, leading to a miscount of his total points 1.
This small error meant that Herta and Cadillac thought he had already achieved the requisite 39 points, when in reality, he was still one shy 1. The mistake was swiftly identified and corrected, with the IndyCar website updating to reflect Herta’s true standing 1. This adjustment now means that Herta must earn the final point during the upcoming races to solidify his place in the 2026 F1 season 1.
Despite the hiccup, Cadillac remains steadfast in their support for Herta, continuing to back him as they look ahead to the 2026 season 1. The team’s commitment to the young talent underscores the potential they see in Herta to make a significant impact in the world of Formula 1 1.
The Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) played a crucial role in resolving the issue, using The Way Back Machine to verify the changes made to IndyCar’s website 1. This technological tool allowed for a precise check of the data, ensuring that Herta’s point total was accurately assessed 1.
What we know
- Colton Herta needs 40 superlicence points to race for Cadillac in F1 next season 1
- Herta and Cadillac believed he had 39 points before Mexico City GP 1
- Herta aims to replace Valtteri Bottas next season, assuming he gets required points by end of 2026 1
- Herta started the season with 35 points from his previous three IndyCar seasons 1
- IndyCar's website had an error showing Herta in sixth instead of seventh place, affecting his points 1
- FIA used The Way Back Machine to verify IndyCar's website changes 1
- IndyCar corrected the website to reflect Herta's correct seventh place 1
- Cadillac continues to support Herta despite current situation 1
Verification report
Partly unverified — probability of truth 63%, weighted across 13 claims from 2 independent outlets.
- likely Colton Herta needs 40 superlicence points to race for Cadillac in F1 next season. (71%)
- likely Herta and Cadillac believed he had 39 points before Mexico City GP. (71%)
- likely Herta aims to replace Valtteri Bottas next season, assuming he gets required points by end of 2026. (71%)
- likely Herta started the season with 35 points from his previous three IndyCar seasons. (71%)
- likely IndyCar's website had an error showing Herta in sixth instead of seventh place, affecting his points. (71%)
- likely FIA used The Way Back Machine to verify IndyCar's website changes. (71%)
- likely IndyCar corrected the website to reflect Herta's correct seventh place. (71%)
- likely Cadillac continues to support Herta despite current situation. (71%)
- unverified Herta actually has 38 points and needs 100km of running in free practice in Brazil to qualify. (50%)
- unverified Herta can still achieve 40 points by participating in first practice in Brazil. (50%)
- unverified Colton Herta completed over 100 kilometers in the first free practice session of the Mexico Grand Prix. (50%)
- unverified Colton Herta had 40 superlicence points, which was thought to be sufficient for obtaining a Formula 1 superlicence. (50%)
- unverified The FIA stated that Colton Herta is still one point short of qualifying for a Formula 1 superlicence. (50%)
Sources
- ESPN F1 — Herta's F1 move delayed by error at Mexico City GP
https://www.espn.com/f1/story/_/id/50320298/colton-hertas-f1-move-delayed-bizarre-superlicence-error-mexico-city-grand-prix-formula-1-autodromo-hermanos-rodriguez - Autosport — The confusion surrounding Colton Herta's F1 superlicence explained
https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/the-confusion-surrounding-colton-hertas-f1-superlicence-explained/10869858/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=RSS-F1&utm_term=News&utm_content=uk