Former driver explains what 'cost' Colton Herta chance to drive in F1

Former F1 driver Alexander Rossi reckons Colton Herta's chance of making his debut in the sport was hampered because of the super license system in place.

Herta doesn't have the 40 points required to become eligible to compete in F1. So Red Bull abandoned their pursuit of the seven-time IndyCar race winner to drive for their sister team AlphaTauri next season.

Rossi, the last American F1 driver, penned down a note in which he blasted archaic methods that are not flexible enough to let a talent like Herta enter the sport.

Rossi said that the super license system was set up to prevent heavily financed drivers enter F1, which has helped the sport at times. However, the resistance to changing the rules to allow a multiple IndyCar race winner like Horta to enter the sport is astounding.

Rossi said:

"The whole premise of it was to stop people from buying their way into F1 and allowing talent to be the motivating factor. That's great. We all agree Colton has the talent and capability to be in F1. That's also great, and he should get that opportunity if it's offered to him. Period. Motorsport still remains as the most high profile sport in the world where money can outweigh talent."

Rossi added that at the end of the day, the sporting element has taken a back seat, and the business side of things has taken over. He said:

"What is disappointing, and in my opinion, the fundamental problem, is that the sporting element so often took a backseat to the business side that there had to be a method put in place in order for certain teams to stop taking drivers solely based on their financial backing."

He continued:

"Ultimately these past decisions, whether out of greed or necessity, is what cost Colton the opportunity to make the decision for himself as to if he wanted to alter career paths and race in F1. Not points on a license."

Herta, 22, is the youngest Indycar Series race winner. After speculation that he would join F1 this year, the American won his first race of the season at the GMR Grand Prix in Indianopolis.

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Max Verstappen and Kimi Raikkonen would not have been eligible for F1 super license - McLaren boss

McLaren boss Zak Brown has come out in support of Colton Herta and said that the super license system needs to be reviewed.

If someone of the caliber of Herta is be eligible for a super license, changes need to be made, he opined.

"I think the whole licensing system needs to be reviewed," said Brown. "I get that the rules are what the rules are and that rules shouldn’t be broken, but I question whether just because those are the rules that are in place now that those are the correct rules."

He continued:

"Someone of Colton’s caliber, or Pato’s caliber or half the (IndyCar) field are Formula 1 capable. If someone like Colton who’s won a lot of IndyCar races isn’t eligible for a superlicence, then I think we need to review the super licence system."

Brown added that drivers like Max Verstappen and Kimi Raikkonen would also not have been eligible for a super license. So there needs to be a discussion on how the license points are allotted. He said:

"I don’t think Max Verstappen would have been eligible for a super licence. I don’t think Kimi Raikkonen would have been eligible for a superlicence. So, if you go back and look, there are a couple of guys, world champions, who wouldn’t have got their superlicence in today’s environment."

The Colton Herta saga has raised a few pertinent questions about the sport's super licensing system. it will be interesting to see what happens next.