Colton Herta, the young American racer with nine IndyCar wins, has left the IndyCar grid to join the European ranks of Formula 2 in 2026. But as revealed by former IndyCar rival Pato O’Ward, this isn’t just a career restart—it’s a strategic move tied directly to Cadillac’s burgeoning Formula 1 program.
Herta took up the role of test driver for the Cadillac Formula 1 Team, which will make its debut on the world stage in 2026 with veterans Sergio Pérez and Valtteri Bottas as race drivers. To make the leap from test driver to full-time F1 driver, Herta must accumulate enough FIA Super License points, a prerequisite for competing in Formula 1. Racing in F2 with the competitive Hitech Grand Prix team is his best bet to secure those points.
O’Ward pointed out that without the Cadillac F1 opportunity waiting at the end of this path, Herta would likely not be committing to the pricey and challenging European F2 championship. The move signals Cadillac’s commitment to nurturing American talent and underscores Herta’s ambition to be the first American driver in a long time to race in F1.
Herta’s history is impressive—from dominating young driver single-seater series and shining in IndyCar to multiple podiums in endurance racing. But the jump to F2 presents a tough challenge: a notoriously competitive ladder that will test Herta’s adaptability to European circuits and Pirelli tires.
Cadillac and Herta have framed this move as a “multi-year development program,” with the American driver scheduled for simulator work and grand prix Friday practice sessions alongside his F2 commitments and IMSA endurance racing. It’s a packed calendar designed to prepare him for the apex of motorsport.
As O’Ward explains, Herta’s focus is crystal clear: a shot at Formula 1 with Cadillac. The game has changed, and the stakes are high, but the American prodigy is chasing what for many is the ultimate dream.
