Colton Herta’s surprising decision to leave his established position as an IndyCar driver to compete in Formula 2 – a championship completely unfamiliar to him – in pursuit of his Formula 1 dream has generated plenty of discussion in the motorsport world. The American is making the move to gain experience and earn the necessary super license points to potentially join the F1 grid with Cadillac in the future, having already signed with the new team as a test driver.
Few people, however, have the background to comment with true insight, having raced competitively on both sides of the Atlantic. Christian Lundgaard is one of them.
The Dane climbed the European single-seater ladder all the way to F2 before moving to the United States in 2022, when his path to Formula 1 was effectively closed. During his two seasons in F2, he scored two wins, one pole position, and nine podium finishes.
Christian Lundgaard, ART Grand Prix
Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images
Lundgaard, who has just wrapped up his best IndyCar season to date – finishing fifth in the standings with six podiums in his first year racing for Arrow McLaren – made it clear that he wouldn’t personally make the same move as Herta, but expressed genuine happiness for his now former rival.
“I think Colton is going to learn a lot abroad. It’s a very different type of racing and it isn’t as raw as it is in America, but at the end of the day, I’m happy for him. I’m happy that he’s doing what he wants to do, and, you know, he’s been given that opportunity,” Lundgaard said in an exclusive interview with Motorsport.com, which will be published in full in the coming days.
“Obviously I’ve been in that world and I’m happy where I am now. I hope he finds happiness and peace with what his future holds. I don’t think it’s a move that I would have made. And I think, you know, there’s other drivers on the grid that will say the same thing. And there’s drivers that will say the opposite thing. And I think, you know, that’s where we are in life, what we want.”
IndyCar mindset won’t work in F2
Colton Herta, Andretti Global
Photo by: Penske Entertainment
When asked about the main technical challenge Herta will face in F2, Lundgaard couldn’t narrow it down to just one aspect. He believes the American will face an all-around challenge and warned that he should not approach F2 with the exact same racing mentality he used in IndyCar.
“I think he will be facing a tough challenge overall. I think IndyCar is a very raw, tough racing series. And I think Formula 2 is a little more, how would you say, a little more kind of set, but also calm racing in a sense,” Lundgaard explained.
“It isn’t as – I wouldn’t use the word exciting – but it’s much more straightforward. I think he’s going to have a tough time figuring that out at first. He’s likely going in with the same mentality he’s had in IndyCar, and I think it’s safe to say that isn’t necessarily the right approach. But again, it might work for him. Time will tell.”
One thing is certain: Lundgaard wouldn’t mind sharing some advice with Cadillac’s future F1 driver if asked – especially if it involves combining racing talk with another of their shared passions: golf.
“If he calls and asks me for tips, of course, I’ll give them to him,” Lundgaard said with a smile. “But I think he’s also one of the golf guys, so hopefully we can sort something out where we have a nice off-the-track conversation.”
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