Colton Herta clear about 2026 Indy 500 return as Marco Andretti's retirement vacates Andretti Global seat

Colton Herta has spoken about the possibility of returning for a one-off appearance at the 2026 Indy 500 with Andretti Global. Until 2025, racing in the Greatest Spectacle of Racing was a part of his full-time IndyCar commitment with the team.

However, in 2026, Herta will leave IndyCar to pursue his F1 dream, serving as Cadillac F1's test driver and also having a full-time drive with Hitech GP in Formula 2. Will Power will replace him at Andretti Global next season. The IndyCar team's optional fourth Indy 500 entry was being filled by Marco Andretti until this season.

But with the 20-time Indy 500 starter hanging up his boots this week, that spot is open. In an appearance on the Stickers and Send it podcast, which was recorded before Andretti's retirement but released on the same day (Wednesday, October 29), Colton Herta addressed a potential return to the Indy 500 next year.

"I'd love to be back, but I don't know what's on the card, what's available, and if I'll be able to. I'm sure there will be discussions about it. Because for me, I love Indy so much. It doesn't deserve to treat me any sort of way, although it hasn't been too kind for me so far, and we've had some big ones, not great results. But it drives you even more, makes me even more hungry to come back. So yes, I hope I do get to come back."

The 110th running of the Indy 500 next year will take place on May 24. Fortunately for Colton Herta, there are no F2 races that month, because F1 shifted the Monaco GP, which historically took place on the same day as the 500, to the first week of June.

There are two F1 races in May - the Miami GP on May 3 and the Canadian GP on May 24, the same as the Indy 500. With the American driver's role at Cadillac F1 limited to being a test driver, it could allow him to race for sister team Andretti Global as its fourth entry at the Indy 500.

Colton Herta braces for "cultural change" before transitioning from IndyCar to F1 world

Colton Herta at the 2025 IndyCar Java House Grand Prix of Monterey - Source: Getty

Colton Herta also opened up about what he expects to be the biggest challenge in his move to the F1 world. The American driver touched upon the 'cultural change' he expects between the American way of working in IndyCar versus the European way of working in F1, which originated in the UK, where the headquarters of nine of the 10 teams (Ferrari is based in Maranello, Italy) are still located.

Cadillac F1, which enters F1 as the 11th team in 2026, will have its main headquarters located in Fishers, Indiana. However, it also has a base in Silverstone, making it the 10th UK-based team, albeit partially.

Though Colton Herta raced in the European circuit in his teen years, that was around a decade ago. This makes him wary of the cultural change he will have to adapt to next year onwards, when he begins racing for Hitech GP, also a UK-based team, in F2. On the aforementioned podcast, when he was asked about the 'biggest challenge' of his move, the nine-time IndyCar race winner said:

"Maybe a little bit of cultural change. How Americans work versus how Europeans or British work is quite different. So there'd be a little bit of learning curve there, getting to understand people, the sense of humor, and whatnot would be different."

"There's so much for me to kind of still learn and know about the team. So that's gonna be priority number one, getting over there and showing face, and learning people, and try to remember the names of the hundreds of people that are over there," he added.

Besides his F1 and F2 commitments, Colton Herta will also race for Cadillac Racing in three races in the IMSA SportsCar Championship next year - the Rolex 24 at Daytona, the 12 Hours of Sebring, and the Petit Le Mans.