Ralf Schumacher slams Colton Herta's F1 prospects: "He's just burning fuel"
On the face of it, Friday at Interlagos could hardly have gone any better for Colton Herta. The Cadillac test driver replaced Sergio Perez in first practice for the 2026 Sao Paulo Grand Prix, completed 24 laps and secured the final point he needed for his FIA super licence. On paper, the American is now eligible to race in Formula 1 in 2027. Former F1 driver turned pundit Ralf Schumacher ... Keep…
Former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher has criticized rookie Colton Herta's chances of securing a Formula 1 seat with the Cadillac team. Schumacher stated that Herta is "just burning fuel" and that his prospects are pointless. He questioned the point of allocating a second Cadillac seat to Herta, suggesting that younger drivers should be given a chance instead.
Schumacher was particularly harsh on Herta's Formula 2 performance, calling it "one of the worst feelings" he has experienced. He praised young drivers like McLaren's Leonardo Fornaroli, who has won championships in both Formula 2 and Formula 3, as "incredibly strong". Herta had moved to Formula 2 to earn points for a potential F1 seat and super licence, but currently sits 19th in the championship standings with just 26 points.
Despite securing his super licence through IndyCar and practice appearances for Cadillac, Herta has struggled and failed to score a victory or podium finish. Schumacher believes that finding the right partner for Perez would be very difficult, as Herta is currently slower than Bottas in head-to-head practice sessions.
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