IndyCar: Is another top seat about to be open for 2023?

The Colton Herta to AlphaTauri Formula 1 talk is heating up, which could leave Andretti Autosport with an open seat for the 2023 IndyCar season.

Back in May 2021, Colton Herta signed a contract to continue competing for Andretti Autosport through the 2023 IndyCar season with primary sponsorship from Gainbridge Financial on his #26 Honda.

But with one race remaining on the 2022 schedule, it could very well mean there is just one race left for Herta behind the wheel of that car.

Herta and the AlphaTauri Formula 1 team have reportedly reached an agreement for the 22-year-old California to replace Pierre Gasly, who is set to move to Alpine to replace the Aston Martin-bound Fernando Alonso.

The deal is set to become official if Herta is granted by a Super Licence by the FIA, with a decision expected to come within the next week, according to Chris Medland. McLaren, which signed Herta to a development deal earlier this year, have reportedly agreed to allow him to compete elsewhere for the next two seasons.

There are also rumors that AlphaTauri will be for sale, and this could be the opportunity that Michael Andretti needs to break into Formula 1. An Andretti driver making the move in 2023 would be the ultimate lead-in to that acquisition.

Notably, this development follows the announcement that Andretti Global, the name of the organization’s desired Formula 1 entry, plan to build a $200 million, 575,000 square-foot facility on 90 acres of land in Fishers, Indiana, so perhaps there is more going on behind the scenes already that hasn’t been revealed.

But provided step one gets completed and Herta is approved for 2023 Formula 1 competition, that leaves another top IndyCar seat unexpectedly vacant for next year.

We are all aware that Chip Ganassi Racing will probably have to find a replacement for reigning series champion Alex Palou behind the wheel of the #10 Honda, given that whole bizarre silly season situation, despite the fact that they picked up the option in his contract for 2023. Chip Ganassi Racing have also yet to commit to Jimmie Johnson as next year’s driver of the #48 Honda.

Now the Gainbridge-backed #26 Honda would be without a driver heading into the offseason, which is set to begin in just a few days.

Do you bring back a veteran such as Marco Andretti or Ryan Hunter-Reay, considering none of the team’s other drivers — Romain Grosjean, Devlin DeFrancesco, and Alexander Rossi replacement Kyle Kirkwood — will have had more than one year of experience with the team and/or no more than one full season of experience in IndyCar entering 2023?

Do you give an opportunity to Indy Lights champion-to-be Linus Lundqvist, given the funding he’ll bring from winning the title at the sport’s second highest level? Do you promote one of your own Indy Lights drivers (Sting Ray Robb, Hunter McElrea, Christian Rasmussen, or Matthew Brabham)?

Do you bring in David Malukas on loan from HMD Motorsports, provided he doesn’t make the move to Chip Ganassi Racing as Palou’s replacement like many are expecting? Do you bring in Formula 2 champion Felipe Drugovich?

What about Nazareth, Pennsylvania native Sage Karam, despite some of the past animosity between him and Andretti?

While the Formula 1 implications are huge in themselves, considering the knock-on effects the addition of Herta — or lack thereof — would have throughout the rest of the 2023 grid, this situation could present a significant late twist to an IndyCar silly season that has already been one for the ages as we near the end of the 2022 campaign.