Formula 1: Is Colton Herta the answer to the ‘American Dream’?

Colton Herta recently secured his fourth IndyCar victory, labeling him as a title contender. Could he be Formula 1’s “American Dream”?

The top bosses of Formula 1 have been attempting to crack America for who knows how many years now, but without great success.

The recent acquisition of the Miami Grand Prix is Formula 1’s next try, but there is a high chance they fall down the loophole that they tend to find themselves in when it comes to the United States, especially with street circuits.

However, no matter how good or bad the race is at the new Miami venue or when the Formula 1 circus returns to Circuit of the Americas, the code will still not be cracked.

And there is a huge reason why that is. Formula 1 will not make the impact they want in America without having a driver who the fans can regard as “one of their own”.

Could IndyCar’s Colton Herta be the answer?

Colton Herta, the 21 year-old IndyCar star who has four race victories to his name, most recently dominated Sunday’s race on the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida. He is a relatively experienced youngster, giving him multiple characteristics that Formula 1 teams have adored in recent years.

Nations enjoy having a driver who dons their flag, and those are the drivers who make the biggest impact. So what would stop Herta from doing the same, apart from stubborn teams who either want to keep him or get him?

Max Verstappen is adored by the Dutch, Michael Schumacher is adored by the Germans, Ayrton Senna was adored by the Brazilians, “Mansell Mania”… the list can go on and on. It is the same with every form of motorsport, whether that be cars or bikes.

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Look at Valentino Rossi with the Italians or Casey Stoner with the Aussies. The U.S. even had their own in the motorbike world, the late Nicky Hayden.

Now yes, Americans have had their heroes in Formula 1: Phil Hill, the first American driver to win the world championship in 1961, and Mario Andretti; everyone knows Mario, the 1978 Formula 1 world champion, 1969 Indy 500 winner, 1967 Daytona 500 winner and four-time IndyCar champion.

That is pretty much where the positives end for Americans in Formula 1. No American driver has crossed the finish line in front of everyone since Andretti’s victory in the 1978 Dutch Grand Prix. Without doing the exact math, that is a very long time.

Sure, there have been multiple American drivers in Formula 1 since then, but all have failed, and quite miserably.

Could Herta be the solution?

The formula is simple. Races in the States are not enough. Give the fans someone to throw their full support into, someone who could become a hero for them. Herta has already proven to be a very capable driver, winning plenty in junior series prior to his IndyCar arrival.

Of course, the first Formula 1 team that comes to mind would be Haas: an American team potentially with an American driver. But that would not be great, and certainly not the “American Dream”.

Herta would need some form of success to complete the transition, meaning the code would be cracked. However, this would be playing in dangerous territory. Is risking all of what is, for sure, a stable career in IndyCar for a potential Formula 1 career worth it?

Of course it is.

If this would ever happen, and it fails for the young American, he can recover. That has been proven in the past. But failure in Formula 1 is a stain that does not dissolve for a racer. Point, Michael Andretti, Herta’s current team owner.

In a non-disrespectful way, Formula 1 fans will always think of his half-season in 1993 whenever they see him. Yes, it is harsh, but it happens. And that will not change.

Formula 1’s “American Dream” is sure to happen one day. But then again, people have been saying that for years, decades even. For it to become an a reality, everything has to add up; it cannot just be a team or a track. An influential driver is the key.