Lundgaard cautions Herta over difficulty of F1 path

Christian Lundgaard has advised Colton Herta not to underestimate the steep challenge of swapping IndyCar for Formula 2 and the road to Formula 1.

The Danish racer - who made the opposite switch from Europe’s single-seater scene to IndyCar - attended the United States GP in Austin, where he spoke to Ekstra Bladet about Herta’s looming move to Cadillac and, later, Formula 2.

"Good luck," Lundgaard said. "Dan Towriss is involved with both Andretti and Cadillac, so we always knew it was a possibility because Colton is his project, like Kevin (Magnussen) was Anders' (Holch).

"But the reason I say good luck is that he might underestimate the challenge. IndyCar is easier on a mental level, and there is also a challenge in managing expectations."

Lundgaard stressed that Herta’s raw speed is unquestionable, but warned that the physical and technical rigours of F2 - especially mastering its Pirelli tyres - will be an eye-opener.

"Herta is incredibly fast, but he doesn't exactly have the best tyre handling," he noted. "The American Firestone tyres are easier to manage than the Pirellis. When you don't know how little you know about how bad and difficult tyre handling is in Formula 2 - it will probably seep in at some point."

Even so, Lundgaard said he understands the motivation behind Herta’s gamble. "If he has even the slightest chance of getting into Formula 1 with Cadillac and Dan, and that's what he wants, that's his best option. If Towriss pays the bills, then just go," he said.

Herta is expected to begin as a Cadillac development driver before likely joining Hitech in Formula 2, collecting the super licence points needed for a potential 2027 F1 debut.

At the same time, Cadillac team boss Graeme Lowdon told Canal Plus in Austin that the American brand’s F1 programme is progressing as planned.

"The good news is that we're on schedule - that's the most important thing," Lowdon said. "Time can't be bought, and we'll have to be ready to race against very established teams. I've worked with some of them, and coming in as a new team to fight them is a huge task."

Lowdon added that the foundations are solid: "Our recruitment has been good, we have very good drivers, everything is falling into place. The team spirit is fantastic, there's a lot of excitement."

With veterans Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas already signed for 2026 - and Simon Pagenaud assisting as simulator driver in Charlotte - Lowdon said the lineup was chosen for experience as much as pace.

"They have 16 wins between them and a lot of podiums. We expect more than just speed - we expect them to help build the team," he said.