Revealed: IndyCar star’s brutal three-word response to Colton Herta ‘mental capacity’ fears

IndyCar driver Alexander Rossi has dismissed the suggestion that rival Colton Herta lacks the “mental capacity” to move to Formula with the new Cadillac F1 team for F1 2026.

Formula 1 confirmed on Friday that Cadillac F1’s entry application has been formally approved, with the American outfit poised to become the 11th team on the grid from 2026.

Alexander Rossi takes issue with Colton Herta Cadillac F1 concerns

It marks the end of a long-running battle for the General Motors-backed American team, previously known as Andretti, to secure a place in the pinnacle of motorsport.

At the end of last year, Cadillac announced a technical partnership with Ferrari, which will see F1’s most successful team provide engines and gearboxes to the newcomers from F1 2026 before the American outfit roll out their own power unit.

The announcement of Cadillac’s link up with Ferrari came just days after Graeme Lowdon, the former chief executive of the now-defunct Marussia team, was appointed team principal.

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With just a year to go until Cadillac F1 make their first grand prix appearance, attention will soon turn to the team’s driver lineup.

Cadillac are understood to be seeking an American driver for their first season, with the team likely to pair a US-born star with an experienced F1 driver.

Herta has long been linked with a move from IndyCar having impressed in the American single-seater series since his first full season in 2019.

However, Gary Anderson, the former Jordan technical director, recently voiced reservations over the 24-year-old’s ability to make the jump to F1.

Appearing on the Formula For Success podcast, Anderson questioned whether Herta has the “speed and the mental capacity” to adapt to Formula 1, remarking that the youngster makes “too many mistakes.”

Rossi made five F1 starts for Lowdon’s Marussia team in 2015 before carving out a successful career in IndyCar, winning the prestigious Indianapolis 500 on his first visit to the race in 2016.

Reacting to PlanetF1.com’s Twitter post carrying Anderson’s comments, Rossi took issue with the former F1 tech guru, commenting: “Who’s Gary Anderson?”

Who’s Gary Anderson? https://t.co/8dqJ0LXEpB

— Alexander Rossi (@AlexanderRossi) March 6, 2025

Rossi’s tweet has been viewed almost 250,000 times at the time of writing with his post attracting around 3,200 likes.

Anderson went on to name Kevin Magnussen, the former McLaren, Renault and Haas driver, as a realistic candidate for a Cadillac F1 seat.

Magnussen lost his seat with Haas at the end of last season and has since agreed a deal to compete with BMW in endurance racing.

Anderson said: “You’ve got to take competitive people that have got experience.

“And one for me [would be] Kevin Magnussen.

“He’s a solid guy. He drives well when he’s got the car to do the job. He’s been around a long time.

“We’re still a year and a bit away from them needing a driver to go racing in 2026, so there’s still time to see what unfolds with quite a few of these other drivers.

“There’s a lot of good guys in Formula 2 coming up through there, so there is an opportunity for a young up-and-coming F2 driver.

“We’re going to see lots of new drivers [in F1 2025], it’s going to be interesting to see who stands out from those guys all F1 rookies as such.

“Depending upon how they do, I think that will sway GM’s decision as far as the drivers are concerned.”

Ferrari reserve driver Zhou Guanyu is also believed to be a contender to race for Cadillac F1 in 2026 given the burgeoning relationship between the two teams.

Zhou, who became F1’s first-ever full-time Chinese driver when he made his debut for Sauber in 2022, is also believed to be close to Lowdon, who has previously served on the 25-year-old’s management team.

Speaking to media including PlanetF1.com at the end of last season, Zhou confirmed that he is not interested in competing in another series for the foreseeable future as he seeks a return to a race seat for F1 2026.

Meanwhile, rumours last month indicated that former Red Bull driver Sergio Perez is hopeful of entering the frame to join Cadillac F1.

A report in Spain claimed that Perez could make a return to racing in the GT class at this year’s Le Mans 24 Hours with a view to pursuing an F1 comeback with Cadillac in 2026.

Perez vacated his Red Bull seat at the end of last season after a punishing 2024 campaign, which saw him fail to register a podium after the fifth race of the season as the reigning champions slipped to a distant third in the Constructors’ standings.

The 35-year-old is known to bring considerable financial backing having been supported by Carlos Slim’s Escuderia Telmex firm throughout his F1 career.

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