'The super licence system was not designed for drivers like Herta'

Red Bull wants Colton Herta to replace Pierre Gasly at AlphaTauri, but the lack of a superlicence is holding back the move. Ted Kravitz doesn't expect too many problems though.

Can Gasly go to Alpine?

Alpine has to find a new driver now that Fernando Alonso is leaving and Oscar Piastri is officially allowed to drive for McLaren. Gasly seems to be the best candidate for the French team and Red Bull is willing to let the driver go despite a contract until 2023, but only if Herta can be recruited as a replacement.

However, the 22-year-old IndyCar driver has only 32 of the 40 points needed to qualify for an FIA super license. The question now is how accommodating will the FIA be? Kravitz says the whole super-licence system was devised to ensure that young talents get enough experience in classes like Formula 4, Formula 3 and Formula 2 before driving a Grand Prix. Herta, as a seven-time race winner in IndyCar, does not fall into that category.

Permission for Herta

''He's ready. He's competent, he's not going to embarrass himself. He's not going to be a danger to himself or anyone. Whilst (Stefano) Domenicali was saying we have to stick to the rules, I think there's a middle way here where Red Bull should be able to get both to happen. With COVID there was a little bit of relaxation of the rules of super licence points. You could take some from one year, some from another year. That's what Red Bull are trying to do, to convince the FIA of a little bit of latitude and that will mean we get an American driver back in F1,'' Kravitz told Sky Sports.

If the FIA gives Red Bull permission to bring in the American, it will also immediately mean the first American F1 driver in the sport since Alexander Rossi started racing on behalf of Marussia in 2015. The last American before him, and the last American to race a full season, was Scott Speed, who raced for Toro Rosso, formerly AlphaTauri, in 2005 and 2006.