Colton Herta is in Indianapolis for a big month of racing.
He wants to win two poles, drink the celebratory milk, and believes that winning the big race might help him win the series championship.
But this May is different. For the first time, the 24-year-old American is leading the IndyCar standings, just one point ahead of three experienced champions. Despite the pressure, Herta remains focused on his goal.
“It’s cool, I’ve never experienced it,” Herta said. “It’s doesn’t really make a difference. It’s still so early. I think (Alex) Palou basically won the championship (last year) with a race to go. It was such a big gap, it didn’t really affect you. So you can change the championship later.”
Herta wants to maintain his lead until the season finale in September. While he’s won at Indy before, his success at the Indianapolis 500 has been limited. This time, he knows the importance of doing well.
The standings are tight, with drivers from around the world closely competing:
– Will Power from Australia is second, even after losing 10 points due to a team scandal.
– Alex Palou from Spain is just three points behind Herta.
– Scott Dixon from New Zealand, a six-time champion, is fourth.
– Felix Rosenqvist from Sweden and Pato O’Ward from Mexico are also close behind.
“It’s just so tight every weekend,” said Rosenqvist. “I think if we do what we do, we will probably have a shot (to win) at some point. I think a podium is probably more realistic target.”
Changes in strategy and personnel are shaking things up for some drivers. Power and Josef Newgarden will be working with new team members due to suspensions.
While the focus is on the upcoming race, the Indy 500 is the ultimate goal. For now, everyone is gearing up for Saturday’s event.
“We’re still there in the points, it’s pretty tight,” said Dixon. “Obviously, I think everybody is excited to kick off the month of May, and it is actually fun to kick it off with the road course, so looking forward to that.”
Herta remains optimistic, knowing that even if things don’t go perfectly this month, there’s still time to turn things around.
