Herta scores points in dramatic Montréal Feature Race
Round 3 - Montréal - Report
Colton Herta secured a valuable points finish in Sunday’s FIA Formula 2 Feature Race in Montréal, capping off a challenging weekend at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve with a strong recovery through a heavily disrupted and unpredictable event to finish P7.
Despite a disappointing qualifying session, Colton delivered when it mattered most in Sunday’s Feature Race, converting a chaotic and strategic race into a P8 finish on the track, marking his third points-scoring result of the season. He was subsequently moved up a place in the classification following the application of post-race penalties, which increased his Montréal haul to six points.
Qualifying
Qualifying in Montréal proved to be a highly competitive and constantly evolving session, with the order shifting throughout as drivers traded fastest laps during their first competitive running at a circuit that is new to F2.
Ritomo Miyata was the first driver to set a representative benchmark time, but the order was quickly reshuffled as the times began to fall.
Interruptions to the session made it tricky to get a good rhythm, and we didn’t manage to get the tyres working properly.
Qualifying finished with Ritomo in P16 and Colton P19.
Sprint Race – Recovery through the field
Starting from deep on the grid in P16 (Ritomo) and P19 (Colton), both drivers faced a difficult Sprint Race in Montréal.
The opening phase saw tightly packed midfield running, with both drivers initially holding position before the order began to shift. They each showed strong pace as the race developed, making steady progress through the pack.
Incidents and a Safety Car following an incident in Turn 10 added further disruption, but both drivers remained in the fight through the chaos. By the flag, Colton finished P11, with Ritomo P13, both gaining positions in a race defined by attrition.
Feature Race – Strategy, weather and a points finish
Sunday’s Feature Race began in damp conditions with rain threatening throughout, yet all cars started on slick tyres, immediately placing strategy at the centre of the race.
Both drivers made early gains on supersoft tyres before an early Safety Car on lap 4, triggered by Van Hoepen at the Wall of Champions, reshuffled the field.
From there, the race became a constantly evolving strategic battle, with multiple Safety Cars and a Virtual Safety Car period repeatedly changing the order. Key strategy calls briefly elevated Colton into P2, placing him in a strong position during the second phase of the race, while Miyata remained in the midfield fight after an early stop.
As conditions fluctuated between damp and dry and faster runners emerged on newer tyres, the race continued to swing rapidly through the final stages.
Colton remained in contention through the chaos and ultimately secured a points finish in P7, scoring six points and his third points finish of the season in his debut Formula 2 campaign after stepping up from IndyCar.
Ritomo was making progress in the closing stages and was looking good for a top five finish. Unfortunately, his race ended after late contact caused him to lose his front wing.
A challenging weekend in Montreal ultimately rewarded perseverance and execution, with Colton converting a difficult start to the event into a strong points finish in Sunday’s Feature Race, while both drivers showed resilience across a disrupted and unpredictable weekend.
Championship Standings:
Ritomo Miyata P9
Colton Herta P12
Colton Herta:
“Tough weekend overall with all the interruptions and changing conditions. We kept ourselves in the fight and made the most of it when things opened up in the Feature Race. P7 and some points is a solid way to finish it, and we’ll take the positives and keep moving forward.”
Jan Sumann, F2 Head of Race Engineering:
“It was a difficult weekend across both sessions, particularly with the interruptions in qualifying and the variability in the races. The team executed well on strategy when it mattered, and Colton’s drive in the Feature Race was a strong recovery to bring home valuable points. There are positives to take forward, and areas we will continue to work on heading into the next round.”