Andretti likens Herta to Verstappen, Vettel

Mario Andretti has heaped praise on American driver Colton Herta, comparing the 21-year-old to four-time former World Champion Sebastian Vettel and current title-holder Max Verstappen.

Herta’s name was frequently mentioned late last season when Andretti looked to purchase the Sauber-operated Alfa Romeo F1 team. The deal ultimately fell through, however Andretti are in the process of applying to be on the grid for 2024 as a completely new entry.

The young American has known open-wheel competition in Europe, finishing third in the Euroformula Open Championship and runner-up in the Spanish Formula 3 Championship.

The 21-year-old is currently embarking on his third year with Andretti in IndyCar on the back of a successful season in which he bagged two race victories and finished fifth in the 2021 championship.

Andretti believes Herta has the ability to find success in F1 and compared the IndyCar race winner’s talents to those of a World Champion.

“The kid is for real,” explained the 81-year-old, speaking to Racer.com. “I know what I’m talking about, I know when I see something.

“I said the same thing about Max when I first saw him. I said the same thing about Sebastian Vettel when he won Monza with Toro Rosso and things like that — I’ve been around long enough to see these things and I haven’t been wrong yet!”

Andretti has already spoken about making a push for a US driver to join F1 once the new team comes to fruition and believes F1 can “hold its own” in America.

When asked whether Andretti hopes to nurture young American talent in the future, the 1978 World Champion explained there are plans for his son, Michael, to also field Formula 2 and Formula 3 teams.

“Michael is a great believer of that – cultivating talent,” said