Now, here is a fascinating exercise. Hitech's Colton Herta recently sat down to construct his ultimate racing driver, pulling names from Indy 500 winners and multiple-time Formula 1 world champions to build the beast piece by piece.
For sheer intelligence behind the wheel, the choice lands squarely on Dario Franchitti. It is a smart pick, backed simply by observation of a very smart guy.
When the skies open up and the grip disappears, the pick shifts straight to Max Verstappen. Herta points to high commitment and a talent that extracts even more in the wet conditions, noting the famous Brazil drives alongside Lewis Hamilton.
For raw qualifying speed, there is only one man for the job. Herta taps none other than prime Will Power.
Cornering and smoothness bring a double nod to James Hinchcliffe. Herta highlights Hinchcliffe as one of the smoothest drivers in the world, praising his meticulous, calculated, and fine art of driving around Indy with his pedals and hands.
Tyre management proves a bit trickier, but the selection splits between sportscar experience and Formula 1 greatness. Philipp Eng gets the nod from a GT race Herta did with BMW in the M8, while Lewis Hamilton takes the F1 spot thanks to the Pirellis and a legendary Monaco race where he seemingly did 900 laps on a single set of tyres.
Confidence shines through when the conversation turns to bravery and risktaking, as well as the best overtaker. On both counts, Herta simply chooses himself.
Finally, for awareness, mindfulness, and the ability to stay super calm, clear, and concise inside the car, the choice falls on an old teammate. Kyle Kirkwood takes that slot for staying level-headed and always trying to maximise the day.
