Colton Herta secures final point for Formula 1 superlicence at Brazilian GP
Colton Herta completed the required 100km penalty-free run at Interlagos to earn his final superlicence point. Valtteri Bottas confirmed he expects to remain with Cadillac next season, while Ralf Schumacher criticized Herta's F1 eligibility.
Colton Herta secured the final point required for a Formula 1 superlicence during a penalty-free Friday practice session at the Brazilian Grand Prix. The American driver replaced Sergio Perez in FP1 at Interlagos, where Cadillac needed him to complete 100km without accruing any penalty points on his licence. This requirement stemmed from a mix-up over a previous IndyCar result that left him one point short of the 40-point threshold after his Mexico appearance a week ago. A red flag early in the session threatened to shorten running significantly, causing a brief scare when Herta passed the pit entry after the lights came on. No action was taken because the red light panels activated too late for him to react and enter the pitlane safely. Cadillac team principal Marc Hynes confirmed the team wanted clarity on whether the 100km limit applied to total mileage or only timed laps, but noted that Herta would be safe under either interpretation. The Race understands the FIA is satisfied with his performance, so the superlicence point will be earned and eligibility confirmed in due course. Herta ran a full programme with early hard tyre laps hampered by lock-ups before switching to softs. His best lap was 0.904s slower than Valtteri Bottas and 0.275s slower than the target Cadillac set him. He withdrew from media activities later that day because he was feeling unwell, though Hynes said he is making good progress despite sitting 19th in the Formula 2 standings.
Bottas retains seat as critics question value
Valtteri Bottas remains convinced he will drive for Cadillac next season despite the team’s ongoing efforts to ensure Herta gains a superlicence. Bottas told the official F1 channel that he expects to continue racing for the team next year, stating, "If I would do betting… I would bet for that." He emphasized that he signed up for a long-term deal and has not heard anything else from the team regarding changes. While all teams must run inexperienced drivers in practice sessions on at least four occasions during the year, this was Herta’s fifth such appearance for Cadillac. Bottas believes this urgency exists because Herta’s points from his second-place finish in the 2024 IndyCar season will expire if he fails to qualify this year. "It kind of makes sense for him because I understood that if he misses the superlicence this year, then it’s going to be almost impossible to get it," Bottas said. He added that getting it now makes it valid for a few years, so the team wants that just in case, not necessarily for next year. Ralf Schumacher offered a blunt counterpoint, arguing that Herta has no place in Formula 1 and that the extra sessions are "just burning fuel." The six-time grand prix winner described the situation as pointless, suggesting Cadillac might as well put other young people in the car. Schumacher criticized Herta’s Formula 2 performance as really bad and stated he does not deserve the opportunity. Instead, Schumacher pointed to McLaren reserve Leonardo Fornaroli, the back-to-back Formula 3 and Formula 2 champion, as a candidate who would deserve the chance. Fornaroli looks set to miss out on an F1 seat for the second consecutive year as things stand. Schumacher called him an absolutely top-class driver who fits the bill better than Herta. Perez recently signed a new deal to stay with the team for at least the next three seasons, securing one half of the lineup. Perez noted that experience is key in these early stages of the Cadillac project, something he and Bottas offer in abundance. The pair has won 16 grands prix between them, with Bottas scoring 10 and Perez 6. Bottas scored Cadillac’s best result so far in Formula 1, finishing P13 in China.
