Red Bull still trying to get Herta into F1 for 2023
Sep.14 - Red Bull and Alpine are not giving up on their plans surrounding Indycar star Colton Herta for the 2023 season.
Renault-owned Alpine has reached an agreement with Red Bull to see Pierre Gasly released from his deal at AlphaTauri to be Esteban Ocon's teammate next year.
American Herta, 22, has even secured a conditional release from his Indycar team, Andretti Autosport.
Red Bull Racing Team Consultant Dr Helmut Marko
"Amazingly, all of the parties and teams involved found an agreement," confirmed Red Bull's Dr Helmut Marko.
However, the entire deal is contingent on American Herta, 22, being given the green light by the FIA to secure a mandatory F1 super license - but he has only 32 of the required 40 points.
"If it's not Colton Herta, then I think Pierre Gasly will stay and nothing will change," AlphaTauri boss Franz Tost said at Monza.
Rival F1 teams have already scuppered the idea of an unanimous vote for an exemption, so Red Bull and Alpine - even helped by McLaren - are moving onto 'plan B'.
It is believed they are hoping a series of Formula 1 tests for Herta will convince the FIA that he has done enough to prove he is good enough for F1.
L'Equipe reports that, to facilitate the Herta-Gasly move, American Herta has been invited by Alpine to test a one-year-old car at the Hungaroring.
The French-owned team intends to announce the name of Fernando Alonso's 2023 successor in time for the next grand prix in Singapore early next month.
Nyck de Vries will also be in action for Alpine, as will two other candidates for the 2023 race seat - Jack Doohan and Nico Hulkenberg, according to Auto Hebdo.
As for Herta, he is also slated to get behind the wheel of a McLaren in the coming days in Barcelona. The British team may be helping Red Bull as a thankyou for the energy drink company having released O'Ward from a contract.
Also on the cards may be a couple of Friday practice outings with McLaren for Herta this year, which would further bolster his argument for a super license.
"That's a question for Zak (Brown)," Herta's father Bryan Herta said. "It's not something that has been decided yet, as far as I know."
Red Bull's Marko said before the Italian GP that he hoped the Herta saga would be decided at Monza - but he is now targeting a new deadline.
"We don't have an answer yet," he said. "It will be the end of the month at the latest and we remain hopeful."
Also in Barcelona for the McLaren test will be Alex Palou, who is locked in a legal dispute between the Woking based team and his current Indycar team Chip Ganassi.
It is unknown at present what Spaniard Palou, the 2021 Indycar champion, will be doing in 2023.
"You'll know when I know," he is quoted by Mundo Deportivo newspaper.
"I'd love to be able to tell you 'I'm going to do this', but I still don't have an answer," Palou added.
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My opinion is that any yokel who wants wants to avoid the rules that apply to him will always find so-called good reasons with most of his fans booing existing rules.
F1 rules are to support fairness and safety issues, not to accomodate this or that team or their super rich owners.
Ringo had it right: 'You've go pay your dues if you want to sing the blues and that ain't eazy'
Herta's value and qualifications aside, the FIA super license requirements are a joke. Far too much emphasis on the Euro feeder system.
I value the Euro feeder system. The Americans don't grow up karting and that has huge value. There is a reason drivers who cannot compete in F1 can do well in Indy.
Well said "Gunfighter" there is also the Yankee Style of driving Biff 'n' Bash.....Herta's attitude and temperament is unlike European & British Drivers he needs to grow up....He thinks he is Self entitled.
Absurd and ignorant comment, disrespectful to the americans and non-sense without knowing Colton well.
Well we do know,he only did about 15 races in 2yrs in Europe......over 50% in the uk...so how well should we know him?
Your comment suggests that you have an intimate knowledge of the Herta family. I doubt that. Not commenting on Colt's talent, my beef is that the FIA is supposed to be an international organization, but is completely Euro-centric.
Much more than you by far, and you are going away from the subject, and now flipped in favor of Colton’s talent, like a wind bag LOL. I agree with your last comment tho, the FIA is an international organization, not a euro organization, and in the 80s karting was not good in the US until they changes their rules to allow the CIK hollow axles. The talent must be recognized everywhere. Some of the comments above are obsolete and sound from the 70s. Americans are way ahead of what above is said. I am European and leave in the US. I am older than Brian, know them well not a very close relationship but they are a super nice family. The rules say that having some distance driving a F1 car equivalent to a race aprox is the option, and hate to see that the FIA is so bias now and denying it. And the guy now is the worst president ever. Take care stranger!
"I am older than Brian, know them well....."
JR, since you know him well, you might want to learn how to spell his name. written with a :)
That's rather funny as over here in the states, many of us feel the same exact way about Europeans. Regardless of the sport and agreeably a lot of the winter sports are dominated by Europeans, because, well, that's where a lot of winter weather exists. I don't really know anything about Colton Herta beyond that he's the son of Bryan Herta, who was pretty successful in CART. I don't think much at all of this snobbery of the FIA. It was supposedly intended originally to be sure that their own feeder series (back when F1 was almost exclusively in Europe, were skilled enough to not be a danger to the established F1 pilots) and IndyCar which is rather lame compared to the CART days, where closer to the end, you saw lots of former F1 drivers, who were looking for a way to use their talents primarily in the US. And mind you they didn't always win either. Just like F1, there were teams with huge budgets, namely Penske, Newman-Haas and a couple others. American drivers had little problem holding their own. Not to even bother to mention Jacque Villeneuve who certainly was not from the US, but Canada and his own father was one of the greatest F1 drivers before his death. Jacques drove in Indy and CART for a few years before he moved over to F1, winning a championship against in my opinion the GOAT of F1. No small feat for an IndyCar driver.
Wrong, things changed decades ago, they are competitive in karting, indeed junior champions some of them. Colton drove F4 in England as a teammate for Norris. Your comment is certainly non-sense. The rules are obsolete and protective absurd for this times, after all my years in racing from the 80s including british FF and F3, I think it would be better if you comment with more facts. I moved to the US and returned to karting, as a SKUSA prokart champ in 2013, met 3 young karters who have won CIK championships: Connor Zillish, Malukas, and you have Logan now in F2, Pato O’Ward SuperNats Champ, Crawford now in F3 and others.
Self praise is no praise at all
You are obviously biased towards yankee doodle daddies
You need to steal the kudos from over the border as there is none in the good old US of A
Absurd comment, you don’t know a single thing about how american karting evolved from the 90s. And all this kids have been karting in Europe and a lot of them junior champions. Do not insult the americans. Seems that you are afraid of them. Make comments with facts and not as ignorant as you do.
Interesting comment. Extremely angry and combative. Why is that?
A Complete mess, in f2 1st 2nd and 3rd get 40 points, but in Indy , its 40,30,20 and in Formula E its 35,25,20 fia explain?
For anyone who hasnt the Knowledge of Ror on F1 see wiki for more super licence bullshit
Hey Shrop, be reminded that Max never sat in a F2 car and still managed to get a superlicence when he was 17 years old without any favours. There are all kinds of combinations possible. Personally I find FE more boring that amateur curling, but if points can be had that way, why not.
And remember, the Indy winner gets a whole bottle of milk poured on his head, while in F1 if you stand on the podium you get to waste a Jeroboam of champagne which is much classier. That's got to be worth something...
And Kimi is the Formula 1 driver with the least races before driving a F1 car. You are correct!
But thats Kimi, Come on...... the only racer to say on the grid he was having a S**t, do not compare anyone to Kimi,they are not worthy.
Kimi was absolute pure talent. Kimi didn't have any insider or father pushing his barrow. Ron was diligent enough to see that Kimi had true talent and potential, and gave him the step-up that he needed.
Following the Michael Andretti debacle with McLaren, I am not sure Herta would be able to make it with Max as his team mate! I believe it's more to do with finance than talent!
TP yes id forgotten that, but i think that's because Jos said he'd punch anyone that said he shouldn't have a licence lol , its just a good job Max wasn't around in Max Mosley's day, would have been very complicated a Nazi uniform and a Dutchman, anywayyy but whats this with Milk thing , that's not very environmental, unless its semi skimmed stuff, Seb+Lucy needs to get on this, sort it out plant based milk only please, not being American i find the idea of winning a race and firing off guns a fabulous idea, we need that here definitely, preferably on the beaches of Dover, and yes its classy, but Only in F1, can we winner,lets say a German, driving for Audi lets say, is pictured guzzling down shampers from a bottle with made by Ferrari, plastered all over it, I mean F1, come onnnn marketing brilliance or big faux pas?
Shropp I remember that moment but I thought it was mika hakkinen who said it, correct me if I'm wrong,, I haven't laughed s much since that moment. 😎
It was Kimi! Love him.
His words still ring in my ears!
Not anymore.
Even when certain posters show a level of knowledge, sometimes you still want to say, what an Arse..
Ladies,Gentlemen and Dames, the 2022 Award for the poster with the best put down, goes to Really old Racer for his "learn to spell"comment .So next year we are expanding the categories, all suggestions welcome and thank you all for voting .
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