“I didn’t think I was on anyone else’s radar,” Indycar driver Colton Herta surprised by Alpha Tauri’s interest for an F1 seat
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Colton Herta
With the silly season going in full swing, the driver marker is still dense and contracts are still being discussed and signed during this part of the season. Indycar driver Colton Herta has been included in this bandwagon and linked with Alpha Tauri for a seat. With Fernando Alonso joining Aston Martin next season, it has triggered a bunch of moves.
With Mclaren signing Oscar Piastri and Alpine left with an empty seat, rumours are that Pierre Gasly could be released to join Alpine if Colton Herta gets granted a super license by the FIA. That way, Alpha Tauri will hire the Indycar hotshot to race for them alongside Yuki Tsunoda in 2023. The whole thing depends on whether FIA can grand Herta an exemption as he is only 8 points short from getting a super license and cannot drive in the sport unless he has one. The FIA is deciding whether to grant him the exemption or not as his career in this sport depends on that.
However there is chatter in the paddock saying that this might not go through as it may potentially have massive consequences in the F3 and F2 categories which have presumably been the best series to get super license points and an exemption like this would make the drivers think that even they could apply for it if they are also falling short on points by a little margin. Colton Herta gave his thoughts on the whole situation.
“It was a bit of a surprise,” Colton Herta on learning that Alpha Tauri was keen to give him an F1 seat
“When I heard about the interest, it was a bit of a surprise because I didn’t think I was on anyone else’s radar. Everybody at McLaren seemed really pleased with how the test went, and how physically and mentally prepared I was. So I think that helped. But yes, I was a little bit surprised to hear about AlphaTauri interest when it initially came out,” he said.
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner was adamant that Pierre Gasly would only be released by Alpha Tauri to possibly join Alpine once the FIA gives their verdict on Coulton Herta’s situation. All he has to do is sit tight and wait for the situation to unfold. It would be great for the sport to have an American driver as they will race in Miami, Austin and Las Vegas next year.
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Varad Joshi
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