P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Herta snags top five despite cautions derailing tire strategy in St. Pete
23-year-old Herta started the 100-lap contest in fourth position, using softer alternate tires. He swiftly moved up to third at the beginning, passing Pato O’Ward on the harder compound. Herta maintained his position until a caution on lap 26 led to a pitstop for fresh tires. Despite briefly dropping to sixth, clever pit strategy helped him regain third place by lap 68. However, challenges during restarts caused him to finish fifth overall. Andretti Global’s COO expressed satisfaction with Herta’s performance, noting the difficulty of managing tire temperatures on the street circuit. Herta’s strategic and calm approach in the race impressed his team, indicating a positive direction for future races.
