24.03.2019

Colton Herta has become the youngest race winner in IndyCar history, less than two-and-a-half years after starring in Euroformula Open.

The American won the inaugural IndyCar Classic at the Circuit of the Americas, beating champions Josef Newgarden and Ryan Hunter-Reay on just his third start in the series. At 18 years, 11 months and 25 days old, he is the only the third teenager to win an IndyCar race.

Prior to a two-season stint in Indy Lights, which included six wins and the 2018 runner-up spot in the standings, Herta was a title contender in Euroformula. He raced for Carlin in 2016, winning at the Red Bull Ring, Jerez and Barcelona, and ended the year third in the points.

In the rookie classification he was second best behind new DTM driver Ferdinand Habsburg, and was also second in the Spanish Formula 3 standings.

There were two more Euroformula graduates racing at COTA, both stars of the 2013 season. Spencer Pigot finished the IndyCar Classic in 11th, while 2013 champion Ed Jones was 14th. Both drivers have appeared on the IndyCar podium before.

Previous Euroformula drivers to have gone on to IndyCar careers include Carlos Muñoz, who won the 2015 Dual in Detroit and is a two-time Indianapolis 500 runner-up, and Phil Giebler.