Colton Herta is finding form at the right time, delivering a strong third-place finish in Sunday’s Java House Grand Prix of Monterey to mark his fifth top-five result of the 2025 season.
Herta, starting from the second row, took a different approach from front-runners Alex Palou and Pato O’Ward by beginning the 95-lap race on the harder primary tyres. While Palou and O’Ward ran the softer alternate compound early, Herta stayed close behind, managing his pace through the opening stint.
Despite an early caution, Palou extended his lead to nearly five seconds by the second yellow flag on Lap 11. Both drivers made their first pit stops on Lap 25, and Herta emerged still in second. However, after the second pit cycle, Christian Lundgaard jumped ahead by short-pitting six laps earlier.
In the second half of the race, Herta made several determined attempts to regain second position, but Lundgaard held firm. Herta eventually settled for third, finishing less than a second behind the Arrow McLaren driver.
“It was good,” Herta said. “I’m so happy whenever we get to come back here. This place has been great to me and great to my family. It’s a real treat.”
Laguna Seca continues to be a favourite for Herta, who now has four podiums in six starts at the track, including dominant victories in 2019 and 2021 and a second-place finish to Palou in 2023.
“It’s a real driver’s track to come out here, especially in INDYCAR,” he added. “To get everything out of it is difficult. Always happy to be on the podium here. The Gainbridge Honda was super fast and we’ll carry this momentum into Portland in two weeks.”
Sunday’s result was Herta’s third podium of the season and his third top-five finish in the last five races. He finished fourth at both Mid-Ohio and Toronto earlier this month, and now looks to maintain that upward trend heading into the final stretch of the season.
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