IndyCar driver, Colton Herta has been linked to taking the AlphaTauri seat should Pierre Gasly make a switch to Alpine
A new contender has arrived in the F1 silly season. With Pierre Gasly being linked to a possible switch to Alpine, Colton Herta is a contender to replace Gasly for the Alpha Tauri seat. Herta is currently a development driver for McLaren, with a view to entering Formula 1.
Herta has been linked with a host of Formula 1 teams in the past. He was linked with a move to Sauber when Andretti was in talks to take over the swiss outfit. More recently, Herta is a part of the McLaren driver development program and linked to a McLaren seat as a result.
However, Herta’s hopes of a McLaren seat are dented with Oscar Piastri expected to take over the seat for the long term. The Australian is expected to replace Ricciardo in 2023. Piastri rejected a seat at Alpine to Fernando Alonso which sent the silly season into override.
Currently, Pierre Gasly is said to have a contract till the end of 2023 at Alpha Tauri. If any move was to be made by Alpine for Gasly, they would have to pay a fee to buy out his contract.
Also Read: Who can replace Pierre Gasly in AlphaTauri for the 2023 season?
Colton Herta still has a few obstacles to qualify for a Formula 1 seat
Apart from Gasly still having a contract at Alpha Tauri, Herta still has to overcome a few obstacles to qualify for an F1 seat. One of the obstacles is the super license points.
This can be obtained if Herta wins the IndyCar series. Herta is currently 10th in the standings. It is unlikely that he would be able to obtain the points via winning the championship.
Another route Herta may have is that he could complete 3000 kilometres of testing in an F1 car. Which would give him the required super license points for an F1 seat.
