Colton Herta, Andretti, Indianapolis Grand Prix, 2022

Herta to test for McLaren this week to prepare for practice outing

2022 Austrian Grand Prix

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Colton Herta will test a McLaren Formula 1 car this week as the team consider running him in a practice session later this year.

His test will take place at the Autodromo do Algarve in Portugal, scene of the Portuguese Grand Prix in 2020 and 2021, as part of three days of running by the team.

McLaren team principal Andreas Seidl confirmed Herta will drive one of last year’s cars, as Formula 2 driver Jehan Daruvala did at Silverstone last month.

“We wanted to give him a chance to run a Formula 1 car, to show what he is actually able to do, in such a car,” said Seidl. “That’s the objective of the test, to see how he’s doing there.”

Seidl said Herta is one of several drivers McLaren is evaluating ahead of potential running during a grand prix weekend.

Carlos Sainz Jr, Ferrari, Red Bull Ring, 2022
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“As you know, we have to do two times this year a free practice session with a young driver and once we have tested all the candidates we want to give a chance in our TPC [Testing of Previous Cars] car we will make our mind up who will actually run these practice sessions,” he explained.

Herta will not be the only driver running at Portimao, Seidl confirmed. “We have a three-day test,” he explained, adding Herta is slated to run on one of the days.

“So then we will also run, most likely, one or two of our simulator drivers just to make sure they are having fresh impressions of running a car on-track as well.”

If McLaren choose to run Herta in an F1 practice session, they will have to choose an event which does not clash with his IndyCar schedule. One option would be on home ground for Herta at the Circuit of the Americas in October.

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Hazel Southwell
Hazel is a motorsport and automotive journalist with a particular interest in hybrid systems, electrification, batteries and new fuel technologies....

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10 comments on “Herta to test for McLaren this week to prepare for practice outing”

  1. Oh man. If Herta puts up a decent Friday time in Ricciardo’s car, and it will be in his car not Lando’s, that’s curtains for real.

  2. Wooooo……. very exciting. Don’t Super Licenses have a stipulation on the amount of km in an F1 car? Is this to help him get over the line?

    It is a little odd for an F1 team to conduct a three day test in Portugal mid season these days.

  3. Well, let’s wait and see. Either Norris is on a whole other level, in which case Herta should be no closer to him than Ricciardo, or Ricciardo and the McLaren really are not suited for each other, in which case a separation is the best way to go for all concerned.

  4. I hope to see Herta replacing Ricciardo from Belgium onward.

  5. I’d rather see Piastri in McLaren, and Sargeant in Williams. Herta has not impressed me at all in Indy this season.

    1. There are reports that Mark Webber, Piastri’s agent, is a frequent guest at McLaren’s motorhomes. I would prefer him too. If McLaren’s serious about their performance and want to achieve anything in the near future, they should sign Piastri up. If they want to make publicity stunts and spend year lingering in the midfield, then sure, take Herta. Nothing against the guy and I can be utterly wrong, but the pairing Norris – Piastri is cut out for success. All I hope is McLaren can get back on their development track and bring up some innovative concept, because let’s admit, this car is a dog.

      1. @pironitheprovocateur This is gonna be a big test of Webber’s managerial nous. If he can get Piastri a McLaren seat that would automatically catapult him into Flavio Briatore level of managerial savviness (who incidentally was also Mark’s manager).

    2. The best IndyCar driver is Newgarden.

  6. I don’t get what Zach is trying to prove here.
    Norris has proved he is the number one driver at McLaren.
    If he brings in Herta, there will be friction from the get go.
    Better to bring in a mature driver currently in F1 with more experience.
    Herta is wild – not a good match for Norris.

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