Colton Herta is considering a possible comeback for the Indy 500 and the IMSA endurance races as his 2027 plans continue to evolve.
Colton Herta’s racing agenda for 2027 is still up in the air, but the Cadillac Formula 1 test driver is keen to make a return to both the Indianapolis 500 and IMSA endurance events if his schedule permits. The 26-year-old from California, who is currently in his first season competing in the FIA Formula 2 Championship with Hitech, has yet to finalize his plans for the upcoming year.
With his sights set on obtaining the FIA Super License necessary for Formula 1, Herta's future commitments will determine if he can participate in America's premier motorsport events, including the '500' and the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship endurance races.
Herta, who has secured nine victories in his IndyCar Series career and was the championship runner-up in 2024, made seven straight appearances in the Indianapolis 500 from 2019 to 2025. He was expected to drive a fourth entry for Andretti Global this past May, but a last-minute schedule change—caused by the FIA adding a Formula 2 round in Montreal on the same weekend as the Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix to replace canceled races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia—created a disappointing clash.
Looking back on the lost chance and his desire for “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing,” Herta made it clear about his intentions for 2027 if his schedule allows.
“Yeah, I’ll never turn down the Indy 500,” Herta stated to Motorsport.com. “I always want to participate in the Indy 500. It was unfortunate this year that I couldn't make it. Everything was lined up.”
When asked about the schedule disruption that thwarted his May plans, he remarked: “Yes, that changed everything. But it was going to happen, and unfortunately, it didn’t. I’m uncertain about what next year holds for me. But if the opportunity arises, 100 percent, I would love to compete in the Indy 500.”
#40 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing Cadillac V-Series.R: Jordan Taylor, Louis Deletraz, Colton Herta
Balancing F1 Aspirations and Sports Car Racing
Currently, Herta is positioned 19th in the F2 rankings, boasting a season-best finish of fifth in the Barcelona Sprint Race, along with four additional top-eight finishes. The current F2 schedule wraps up with consecutive rounds in Qatar (November 28–29) and Abu Dhabi (December 5–6), though these events have faced significant uncertainty for months amid ongoing regional tensions in the Middle East that began in February.
In addition to his single-seater endeavors, Herta has immersed himself in sports car racing this season as part of Wayne Taylor Racing’s endurance team in the #40 Cadillac, recently achieving a podium finish at Petit Le Mans. Whether he can maintain a balance between sports car appearances and his primary development responsibilities next year remains to be seen.
“If it were up to me, I would aim to participate in as many races as possible… especially the three endurance events (Rolex 24 At Daytona, Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring, and Petit Le Mans),” Herta expressed regarding his sports car ambitions.
“I truly enjoy that... I follow all the races, so I keep up with everything these guys do. It’s a lot of fun to be involved, but if it’s entirely my choice, I would 100 percent want to return to racing. However, I think it all hinges on what next year looks like, which I just don’t have clarity on yet.”
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