On Tuesday, Andretti Autosport and driver Colton Herta agreed to a seven-year extension through the end of the 2027 season. In addition, Gainbridge, a Group 1001 company, will continue to sponsor Herta for the next seven years.
The 22-year-old from Valencia, California, finished tenth in the IndyCar standings, with two poles, one win, five top-five, and eight top-ten finishes in the 2022 season. His only win of the season came at GMR Grand Prix on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course on May 14th.
“We’re really pleased to confirm that Colton and Gainbridge will remain with Andretti Autosport for years to come,” said Chairman and CEO Michael Andretti. “Colton is a true talent in a race car and has natural determination that makes him want to win. He’s a strong competitor and a good teammate. I’m looking forward to seeing what Colton and Andretti can continue to achieve together.”
This will be Herta’s sixth year in IndyCar. He has nine poles, seven wins, 15 top top-three, and 22 top-five finishes in 65 starts. He is the son of former IndyCar driver Bryan Herta, who won four career races, and two Indy 500’s as a team owner.
“Gainbridge is proud to continue its successful relationship with Andretti through this new contract extension with Colton. We have high hopes for both Colton and Gainbridge and believe they’re destined to become household names,” said Dan Towriss, CEO and President of Group 1001, the parent company of Gainbridge. “With his natural talent and winning spirit, Colton won’t stop until he changes the landscape of racing. He’s the perfect representative for Gainbridge, who is changing the landscape of financial services.”
In 2019, Herta became the youngest driver at 18 years old to win an IndyCar at the Circuit of the Americas and won a pole at 19 years old at Road America. In addition, Herta won the 2019 Rolex 24 at Daytona with BMW Team RLL in the GT Le Mans class.
“I’m super happy and grateful for everything the entire Andretti and Gainbridge teams have done for me,” said Herta. “This is a huge step for me professionally and I’m so glad it can be with a top team like Andretti Autosport. We have big goals and a lot of work ahead of us, but I can’t be happier to do it with this team and represent Gainbridge!”
The NTT IndyCar Series kicks off the 2023 season on Sunday, March 5th, from the streets of St. Petersburg at 12 pm on NBC.
