Colton Herta highlights the clear edge IMSA has over IndyCar for its racers

Colton Herta has pointed out a key feature of the IMSA SportsCar Championship, which excites him about racing in the endurance racing series, and something that IndyCar lacks. 2026 will be the first time in the former Andretti Global driver's racing career when his schedule will include IMSA races but not IndyCar.

Alongside his full-time drive in Formula 2 with Hitech GP, which will act as a stepping stone towards earning a Cadillac F1 seat, Herta will compete in three IMSA races with Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing. Those include the Rolex 24 at Daytona, the Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring, and the Petit Le Mans.

In preparation for 2026, Colton Herta participated in a three-day IMSA-sanctioned test at the Daytona International Speedway from November 14 to 16. After testing the Cadillac V-Series.R, which was the third LMDh car he drove after the BMW M Hybrid V8 and Acura ARX-06, the former IndyCar driver highlighted the key difference between the two racing series.

"There’s still a lot for me to learn about the Cadillac, so it’s hard for me to judge completely," Herta said via Sportscar365. "But it’s good. It’s great to have so many competitive manufacturers in a series like this. Coming from IndyCar, where we have two, it’s really cool and exciting to be able to race against all these different cars with different engines and models."

While IMSA has seven manufacturers in the GTP class, with a couple more expected to join in the near future, IndyCar has only two engine manufacturers, Honda and Chevrolet. Honda's future in the premier American open-wheel racing series remains unclear beyond its current contract through 2026.

Colton Herta reflects on good 'fortune' after landing IMSA opportunity

Colton Herta at the Formula 2 Championship - Round 14 Yas Island - Previews - Source: Getty

Colton Herta has been racing part-time in the IMSA SportsCar Championship since 2019, the year he made his full-time IndyCar debut. On his debut at the 2019 Rolex 24 at Daytona with BMW RLL, the American driver won in the GTLM class. He repeated the feat with DragonSpeed USA in the LMP2 class in 2022.

Herta's third and final IMSA victory so far came at the 2024 Petit Le Mans, driving for Wayne Taylor Racing in the GTP class. In 2026, he will reunite with former WTR teammates Jordan Taylor and Louis Deletraz.

After the November Daytona test, Colton Herta described what a delight it was to pilot the No. 40 Cadillac V-Series.R.

"It’s a fun car to drive for sure," he said. "It sounds just as good on the inside as it does from the outside. It’s just a joy to be back because these cars and this race is so much fun. Sports car racing is so different to all the racing that I do. I really do treasure my time here. I feel very fortunate to be able to do this."

Colton Herta will spend most of his time racing in Europe in 2026, as part of his full-time F2 calendar and test driver duties for Cadillac F1. The three IMSA races will bring him back to his home soil in America.