“We’ve now got a plan installed for Colton, Yes”: Colton Herta talks about his secret Ferrari test and Zak Brown confirms Daniel Ricciardo replacement?

Janmeyjay Shukla | 30/04/2022
"We’ve now got a plan installed for Colton, Yes": Colton Herta talks about his secret Ferrari test and Zak Brown confirms Daniel Ricciardo replacement?

Colton Herta discusses his Formula One move and Zak Brown confirms that McLaren has a plan for the Indy Car sensation

McLaren signed Colton Herta in March allowing him to test the McLaren MCL35 this season. He won the COTA race at the age of 19, the youngest driver ever to do so.

During the end of the 2021 season, there were rumors that Michael Andretti was all set to purchase Sauber. However, due to differences in the vision, the deal could not go through ahead.

As per Herta himself, there was a close chance of him driving a Formula One car in the 2022 season.

Inch closer to driving in Formula One

The California native spoke with the media discussing his potential F1 move. He said: “People were saying it was 50% or 60%, Even then, it was a lot closer than that.”

Also Read: Two times World Champion Fernando Alonso gives his former teammate Lewis Hamilton a reality check

He described this whole experience as the craziest ride of his life. Herta also revealed that there were plans for a secret test in a Ferrari car at Circuito de Fiorano.
Herta performed simulation tests with Sauber and was faster than Kimi Raikkonen and Antonio Giovinazzi. Just like a driver market, there were also plenty of phone calls and flights that exchanged information and contracts.

What’s next for Colton Herta?

The American international is now a part of McLaren’s list of potential driver replacements for Daniel Ricciardo. The Australian has been underperforming at the Woking-based team. He finished eighteenth at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix only increasing Herta’s chances in 2024.

McLaren’s CEO Zak Brown spoke with the media about Herta’s potential seat. He said: “Yes, we’ve now got a plan installed for Colton.”

Also Read: Esteban Ocon explains the incident with Lewis Hamilton that made it look worse

He further added, “That’s up to Andreas Seidl [McLaren team principal] to communicate that outwardly when he’s ready to communicate it. But yes, we have a plan.”

Michael Andretti is still yet to receive a response from the FIA on his potential team. It remains to be seen if Herta becomes a part of Andretti’s vision or McLaren’s plan soon.

Post Edited By: Tanish Chachra
Colton Herta Daniel Ricciardo F1 McLaren

About the author

Janmeyjay Shukla

Janmeyjay Shukla is an artist who contributes his expressions through words as an F1 writer and editor at The SportsRush. He is an F1 historian who has been watching the sport since he was a baby. Passed on from generation to generation, he has seen the prime of Michael Schumacher to the rise of Max Verstappen. A Mercedes fan from the days of the Brawn GP era, the sport runs in his blood. Besides Formula One, Janmeyjay is a Marketing Head and a musician who loves to sing and play Rock & Pop songs on guitar. His love for sports will never die as he is a loyal Liverpool Football Club fan as well!

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