Herta joins F2 knowing it is likely his last opportunity to fulfill his F1 dream, with a top-eight finish in 2026 enough to earn him the FIA Super License points required, but the nine-time IndyCar winner said he is setting higher standards for himself prior to the season opener in Melbourne.

The American, who will represent Hitech in 2026, was close to joining Sauber in 2021, and after a two-day test with McLaren the following year, he was also the subject of reported interest from Red Bull’s sister team AlphaTauri - after something of a ‘career reset’ in F2, Herta’s hope now hinges on impressing newcomers Cadillac.

On Thursday, when asked by GPblog about Cadillac’s top 10 target, the 25-year-old agreed that the highest expectations are those that he is placing on himself.

He said: “The goal for me every time I get in the race car is very simple, to be quicker than everybody.

“We've seen what they’ve said, and the goals they’re expecting of me. But personally, it's always worked in my career, that I expect myself to be good. I expect myself to be quick, and contend for wins and podiums. And that's always my goal when I get inside the race car.

On the pressure that comes with being one of the most experienced drivers on the 2026 F2 grid, Herta added that he isn’t “worried too much” about the noise from the outside world or competitors: “I set standards quite high for myself, if I can reach those or beat those, it’ll be a good year.”

Ahead of the F2 season start in Melbourne this weekend, the California native said he was starting to feel “more confident” with the new machinery after testing in Abu Dhabi and Barcelona, where he finished P4 on the final day. A lot of focus is also on how he adapts to the more slippery Pirelli tyres after using Firestones in North America.

“So still not, I would say like 100% confident, but after those six days in Abu Dhabi and Barcelona, I definitely feel closer, starting to be a bit more confident with the car and what I should be doing.

“Obviously we're always trying to find lap time and make ourselves better, but I think those big chunks that I was finding earlier on in testing are kind of gone, and now it's to the fine point.”

When asked who could be his biggest rival for the 2026 season, F1 world champion Lando Norris jokingly replied to GPblog, among other media: "Probably Aston. Maybe Cadillac. Otherwise we just focus on ourselves."

Meanwhile, Cadillac's Valtteri Bottas lightheartedly claimed Aston Martin drivers Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso will fight with Mercedes' George Russell for the title.