Colton Herta Girlfriend
Have you met Colton Herta girlfriend Riley Flynn? This stunning young lady has been dating the IndyCar Series driver Colton Herta, her high school sweetheart since 2018.
Colton Thomas Herta, born on March 30, 2000, has quickly become a rising star in the world of American motorsports. The young racing prodigy has already etched his name in the history books as the youngest ever winner of an IndyCar Series race . Currently competing for Andretti Global with Curb Agajanian in the NTT IndyCar Series, Herta is following in the footsteps of his father, Bryan Herta, a former IndyCar and Champ Car driver.
Herta’s journey in racing began at a tender age, and his rapid ascent through the ranks has been nothing short of remarkable. His natural talent, combined with the racing pedigree inherited from his father, has positioned him as one of the most exciting prospects in American open-wheel racing. As we delve into Herta’s personal life, including his relationship with girlfriend Riley Flynn, it’s clear that this young driver’s story extends far beyond the racetrack.
Riley Flynn
Colton Herta’s 25-year-old girlfriend, Riley Flynn, from California, graduated in 2018 from West Ranch High School. Riley from the University of Southern California in 2022 with a major in journalism and double minors in musical theatre and communication policy and law.
She consistently achieved Dean’s List honors and graduated Summa Cum Laude. Her skill set includes proficiency in Adobe Premiere, Adobe Photoshop, and Final Cut Pro X.Flynn’s professional experience includes a role as a Digital Team Intern at ABC7 Los Angeles and a position as a Student Worker at the USC School of International Relations.
She also served as a Victory Leader with the Arizona Democratic Party, contributing to successful campaign efforts. Her combination of academic excellence, technical skills, and varied work experiences make her well-suited for a career in journalism, media, or related fields.
Colton Herta Bio
Karting
Colton Herta’s racing career began with karting at a young age, leading to his single-seater debut at 13. He quickly progressed to professional racing in the USF2000 Championship and gained international experience in series like the AsiaCup Series and Global RallyCross Championship Lites. This early exposure laid the groundwork for his future success.
MSA Formula Series
Herta’s talent took him to Europe, where he competed in the MSA Formula series and the Euroformula Open Championship, achieving multiple wins and podium finishes. His success in Europe demonstrated his adaptability and competitiveness on an international stage.
Indy Lights Series
Returning to the United States, Herta joined the Indy Lights Series, where he achieved significant success, including a Rookie of the Year title and multiple race wins. His dominance at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway solidified his status as a rising star, setting the stage for his eventual move to IndyCar.
Colton Herta’s IndyCar career has been marked by rapid success and continuous growth since his debut in 2018. Here’s a summary of his journey through the IndyCar Series:
2019 Rookie Season
Herta’s rookie season in 2019 with Harding Steinbrenner Racing was nothing short of spectacular. At just 18 years old, he became the youngest-ever winner in IndyCar history by clinching victory at the Circuit of the Americas. He followed this up with another win at Laguna Seca and became the youngest-ever pole-sitter at Road America. Despite some setbacks, including a gearbox failure at the Indianapolis 500, Herta finished an impressive 7th in the overall standings.
2020 Season
In 2020, Herta continued to impress, finishing 3rd in the championship with consistent top-5 finishes and a win at Mid-Ohio. The 2021 season saw Herta secure three wins, including his first on a street circuit at St. Petersburg. Despite facing challenges with strategy and mechanical issues, he managed to finish 5th in the championship.
2022-23 Season
The 2022 and 2023 seasons proved more challenging for Herta. While he managed to secure a win at the GMR Grand Prix in 2022, 2023 was a winless campaign. However, Herta showed resilience, achieving podium finishes and pole positions.
2024: A Breakthrough Year
Herta’s 2024 season marked a significant turning point in his career. He started strong with multiple podium finishes and secured his first oval win at the Nashville Superspeedway in the season finale. This victory helped him clinch second place in the championship standings, his best career finish to date. Herta’s performance in 2024 also established him as the highest-scoring Andretti Autosport driver in the modern IndyCar era since Ryan Hunter-Reay in 2012, solidifying his status as one of the series’ top talents.
Formula One
Colton Herta’s Formula One journey began with high hopes in 2021 when Andretti Autosport attempted to purchase Sauber, which operates the Alfa Romeo F1 team. Herta was the leading candidate to partner with Valtteri Bottas for the 2022 season. He even tested in the simulator at Alfa Romeo’s base in Switzerland, reportedly posting faster times than the team’s drivers at the time, Kimi Räikkönen and Antonio Giovinazzi. Plans were made for Herta to complete a 300 km test in a Formula One car to qualify for free practice sessions, but those tests never materialized as negotiations between Andretti and Sauber fell through. Ultimately, Alfa Romeo signed Zhou Guanyu, leaving Herta’s F1 ambitions temporarily on hold.
McLaren
In 2022, Herta joined McLaren as a development driver, gaining valuable experience by testing the 2021 MCL35M at Portimão. His performance during the test impressed McLaren engineers and industry insiders alike, showcasing his adaptability to F1 machinery. Later that year, Red Bull expressed interest in signing Herta for their AlphaTauri team for 2023. However, Herta lacked sufficient super license points to compete in Formula One. Despite Red Bull’s efforts to secure an exception from the FIA and include him in Alpine’s driver tests to earn additional points, the FIA denied the request, forcing Red Bull to abandon their plans.
Future Prospects with Cadillac Formula One Team
As of late 2024, Herta has been heavily linked with a potential Formula One seat with the Cadillac F1 team, set to join the grid in 2026. Mario Andretti, a key figure in the project, has hinted that one of the team’s two seats would “most likely” go to Herta. However, Herta remains cautious about these prospects, expressing fatigue over years of speculation about an F1 move. While he focuses on his IndyCar career for now, his name remains central to discussions about an American driver making a breakthrough into Formula One.
