Foxnews.com Gets Behind the Wheel of a Formula One Car
Fox Car Report checks out the F1 Driving Experience at Monticello Motor Club
Getting behind the wheel of a Formula One car was a dream come true for IndyCar driver Colton Herta.
The Andretti Autosport driver was given the opportunity to drive McLaren's 2021 F1 car at Portugal's Portominao track this week as part of a testing program he has been signed up for with the team.
Herta became the youngest IndyCar race winner ever at 18 years old in 2019 and has added six more wins since then.
"It's been a good test to see what these cars are about and the physicality differences to an IndyCar," Herta said. "It's a goal of mine and has been for a while. There's been instances where I've been close. But what's going on with this, it's just getting seat time. I wanted to see what these cars are all about and luckily McLaren gave me a chance."
Colton Herta tested the McLaren F1 car at Portugal's Portominao track. (McLaren Racing)
The last American to race for a Formula One team was Herta's current teammate, Alexander Rossi, who drove in five races for the Manor Marussia F1 team in 2015.
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Formula One has exploded in popularity in the U.S. recently thanks in part to the Netflix series "Drive to Survive" and will have three races here in 2023, which has many looking to add an American driver to the grid.
Colton Herta currently drives in the IndyCar series. (Brian Spurlock/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Herta, now 22, is considered one of the top U.S. prospects for getting signed by a Formula One team and is a shoo-in for a seat if Andretti Autosport's application to enter a team in the series is approved. That is if McLaren or another team does not sign him first.
Colton Herta won the GMR Grand Prix on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course this May. (Brian Spurlock/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
"I have to say the team was quite impressed how Colton was dealing with all these challenges and his professional approach was good to see as well," McLaren team principle Andreas Seidl said after Herta's test. "His physical preparation enabled him to keep going for two days knowing how challenging this can be in a Formula One car on a track like Portminao."
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Herta was following in the footsteps of his father Bryan, who is his race strategist and drove for Andretti in Indycar. The elder Herta having tested with Minardi in 2002.
"It's hard to get in a race car and not drive as fast you possibly can. That was the goal when I got over here: get acclimated, get up to speed and see what I could do in the race car," Herta said. "It was super special to drive, it handled beautifully, I was able to make some setup adjustments in the afternoon and get it more to my liking. But yeah, you always want to show how fast you can drive a race car no matter what the circumstances are."
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The Associated Press contributed to this report