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the HITECH

Formula 2

Team

The accomplished Japanese racer joins Hitech following an impressive second season in the Formula 2 series, where he demonstrated strong pace, consistency, and adaptability against some of the most competitive young drivers in the world. His transition to Hitech marks the next step in a career that has also encompassed major success across Japan’s top single-seater and GT categories, including the 2023 Super Formula and SUPER GT title.

A member of the Toyota Gazoo Racing Driver Challenge Program, Ritomo has built a reputation as one of Japan’s most versatile and technically astute drivers. He brings valuable experience to his move to Hitech and a proven record of success at the highest levels of competition.

The 26-year-old has consistently shown impressive pace in the Formula 2 championship, including a second-place podium in this season’s Spa Feature Race and multiple points finishes. The partnership aims to build on the momentum of his F2 campaigns to date and target consistent front-running results after two very successful, title-challenging campaigns for the team.

Ritomo will race alongside Colton Herta, the nine-time IndyCar race winner making his own high-profile transition into Formula 2 for 2026. Together, they form one of the most exciting and internationally experienced driver pairings on the grid – blending Herta’s proven pace from the U.S. single-seater scene with Ritomo’s championship-winning pedigree and versatility from Japan and Europe.

Round 1 – Melbourne
Q:        Sprint Race:      Feature Race:

Nine-time race-winning IndyCar driver Colton is making a high-profile transition to the FIA’s ‘Road to F1’ pathway.

The 25-year-old American joins Hitech following a standout career in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES where he has established himself as one of North America’s most exciting racing talents. Since making his IndyCar debut in 2019, Herta has amassed nine wins, 16 poles, and numerous podium finishes, becoming the youngest-ever winner and polesitter in the series’ history.

Now, as a Cadillac Formula 1 Team Test Driver, Herta takes the next step in his career by committing to a full season of FIA Formula 2 – the final rung of the single-seater ladder before Formula 1.

Though new to the Formula 2 grid, Herta is far from a stranger to the international motorsport stage. His racing résumé includes standout performances on some of the world’s most iconic circuits, from Long Beach to Laguna Seca, and he has consistently demonstrated the proven speed and race craft of an elite-level talent.

Having previously competed in Europe during his junior career – including campaigns in British F4 and Euroformula Open – Herta’s return to the continent reflects his renewed focus on reaching F1. The move to F2 offers competitive mileage in a Formula 1 support series but also exposure to Pirelli tyres, DRS-enabled machinery, and a race weekend structure that closely mirrors that of Grand Prix racing and with rounds held at selected events on the F1 calendar.

Round 1 – Melbourne
Q:        Sprint Race:      Feature Race: