Thursday, October 20, 2022

F1: Colton Herta’s Formula 1 Dreams Put on Hold

As the 22yr Old Yank’ will focus upon Indy Cars and Hope for Andretti Global to finally land it’s sought after F1 “Franchise,” Err Formula 1 entry…

 

Interestingly, Grizzled F1 Journo’ Joe Saward noted cynically in His Green Notebook from Crevecouer-le-Grand, following this year’s Dutch Grand Prix. That perhaps Der Helmut’, aka Red Bull’s “Junior Minder” Helmut Marko could be using Colton Herta as a Red Herring to keep us from Not talking about Red Bull’s Porsche Power Unit Dealio’ Having it’s Plug Pulled…

 

Having been away from Ye All consuming Confuzer and Keyboard for nearly a month, I had Zero clue what the latest rumours were regarding Colton Herta’s possibilities of racing next year in formula 1, prior to finally asking No Fenders Blogmeister Miguel to query Colton Herta latest news for Mwah on Wednesday, October 12th.

 

For which Y’all are presumably Ahead of Mwah, knowing that we won’t be seeing the young American IndyCar Star participating in this Friday’s (Free Practice) FP1 Session for either McLaren or Scuderia AlphaTauri.

 

Since it was announced last Friday that current Chip Ganassi Racing IndyCar driver Alex Palou will be making His FP1 debut for McLaren at Circuit Of The Americas, nee COTA in Austin tomorrow. Aboard Daniel Ricciardo’s McLaren MCL-36/Mercedes racecar.

 

While Arrow McLaren SP’s Pato O’Ward will take over Lando Norris’s McLaren mount, making His FP1 Debut at the season finale Abu dhabi Grand Prix this November.

 

And I’ve got Zero Clue how Colton’s “Private” Test at the Hungaroring for Alpine went? Or How many Drivers participated? Since this was supposedly being Done to Kill a Few birdie’s! Filling the vacated spot originally planned for Oscar Piastri before He “Bolted” to McLaren and left Alpine in a lerch! Along with evaluating other potential aspiring F1 Drivers.

 

And as we All know, Alpine needed to find a replacement Driver for the departing Frederico Suave’, aka Fernando Alonso. But Messer Saward has also Bantered On ceaselessly over How pairing AlphaTauri’s Pierre Gasly would be a Bad idea for Alpine! As Gasly and Countryman Esteban Ocon apparently still Have a Nasty rift between them from when they were friends as Wee lads’ Go Karting against each other…

 

Ironically, next year will be the 30th Anniversary of Mikey andretti’s one season in Formula 1, as somebody named Ayrton Senna’s teammate at McLaren! For which Critics still claim wasn’t a great result for the proprieter of Andretti Autosport, along with being Colton’s current Boss…

 

As there’s been joust a paltry three Yanks to race in Formula 1 in those past thirty years, with Andretti followed by the Dubious Scotty “The Goose!” Speed driving for Scuderia Toro Rosso between 2006-0. Before literally becoming Team Boss Franz Tost’s Punching Bag!

 

Then the latest Yank was Alexander Rossi, colton’s past Andretti Autosport IndyCar teammate. As Rossi drove a scant five races for the beleaguered Manor Marussia F1 Team in 2015. And I believe His 12th place finish at COTA was His best result…

 

Whilst the last IndyCar Driver to try His Hand in Formula 1 was le Hamburgular’, nee Sealmeister B’, SeaBass’ or simply Sebastien Bourdais. With the Frenchman driving also then for the Back marker Fienza, Italy Toro Rosso team during 2008-09. Before being replaced by another Sebastien, who’s last name is Buemi.

 

Yet Bourdais’s teammate wasn’t No Slouch! Long known Here upon No Fenders as ‘lil syd viddle’, aka Sebastian Vettel. For which we All know the German went on a tear, racking up four consecutive F1 World Championships between 2010-2013 for Red Bull Racing, or as Austin F1 sherpa Claudio coined them, the Big Bulls!

 

Yet I suppose All of that is academic now, since Colton’s since signed a new Multi-year contract extension to wisely stay at Andretti Autosport and focus upon Indy Cars after the FIA Declined to Grant the request for special dispensation to give the young American the necessary F1 Super License.

 

Whilst Alpine has subsequently signed Monseiur Gasly as Fred Alonso’s replacement next year. And AlphaTauri has signed Nyck de Vries as Gasly’s replacement alongside Yuki Tsunoda.

 

And with Alfa Romeo retaining GuanYu Zhou alongside Valtteri Bottas next year, the only driver vacancy to fill is who’ll partner Alex Albon at Team Willy’, aka Williams Racing next year, with Nicholas Latifi leaving at season’s end. Since Haas is supposedly set to make a really, really Big announcement at COTA this weekend, presumably it’s next Title Sponsor, and possibly who’ll take over Mick Schumacher’s seat. Can Y’all say Nico Hulkenberg?