The fledgling Cadillac Formula 1 Team has announced that IndyCar racer Colton Herta will serve as its official test driver for 2026.
It marks a substantial change for a driver who has spent seven seasons competing in North America’s premier single-seater championship.
However, 25-year-old Herta has persistently been linked with Formula 1, and is now much closer to achieving this career goal.
Born in Santa Clarita, California, Colton Herta is the son of Bryan Herta – and is thus part of a famous motorsport family.
Bryan Herta had a long racing career in the IndyCar and Champ Car series. He founded the eponymous Bryan Herta Autosport team in 2009.
For Colton, this meant a career in motorsport was almost guaranteed, beginning with karting championships in 2010. He progressed to become the highest-paid driver in the NTT IndyCar series.
Colton Herta burst onto the IndyCar scene in 2019, aged just 19, claiming two wins in his first full rookie season.
Such promise at a young age, along with a famous racing father, set particularly high expectations for Herta.
Subsequent seasons have seen Colton claim more victories, peaking with a second place in the 2024 IndyCar Drivers’ Championship standings.
However, the dominant success of Alex Palou made wins harder to achieve in 2025, which may have contributed to Herta’s decision to move.
The Indianapolis 500 is the greatest prize in the IndyCar series. It is considered part of the ‘Triple Crown’ of motorsport, along with the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Monaco Grand Prix.
Colton Herta has contested the Indy 500 seven times, and started from second place for the 2021 race.
Sadly, this has never translated into an overall victory, with eighth place in 2020 being Herta’s Indy 500 highlight.
In contrast to many North American racing drivers, Colton Herta decided to compete in Europe early on in his career.
This began with the 2015 MSA Formula Championship in the UK, where he took third place in a series won by current McLaren Formula 1 driver, Lando Norris.
The following year saw Herta claim second place in the Spanish Formula 3 series, along with a third-place finish in the Euroformula Open Championship.
Herta later returned to the United States, but his experience arguably makes him well placed for a career in Formula 1.
Herta was first linked to Formula 1 in 2021, during Andretti Autosport’s attempt to buy the Sauber team. However, Andretti’s bid collapsed, leaving Herta without a drive.
In July 2022, Herta undertook a multi-day test session in Portugal with the McLaren Formula 1 team, delivering impressive lap times.
Red Bull’s junior AlphaTauri team then began pursuing Herta to drive for them in the 2023 season. Unfortunately, Herta lacked the points to obtain an FIA Super License, which is required to race in Formula 1.
The FIA refused to make an exception for Colton, preventing him from a move into F1.
At present, Herta has 35 of the 40 points needed to secure an FIA Super License.
Acting as Cadillac’s test driver in the 2026 Formula 1 season would allow him to take part in several Friday practice sessions, with each earning one Super License point.
However, Herta is more likely to combine his testing duties with a drive in the supporting Formula 2 championship. Finishing eighth or higher in the F2 series would secure Colton the 40 points needed to race in motorsport’s top echelon.
For its inaugural season in Formula 1, Cadillac has turned to the experienced pairing of Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas.
Both have previously served as reliable number-two drivers in top F1 teams. The duo have more than 525 race-starts between them.
With Perez now aged 35, and Bottas 36, neither are likely to be long-term options for Cadillac though. This opens the door for the American team to put an American driver in its race car with Colton Herta.
Following the announcement, Herta said: “This is a dream opportunity, and one I’ve been working towards for a long time. To be part of Cadillac F1’s entry at such a pivotal time is something I couldn’t pass up.
“My dream has always been to race in Formula 1, and I see this move as a huge step towards that goal. For now, my focus is on giving everything I can to Cadillac F1, helping build a competitive team.”
“We are delighted to welcome Colton Herta as a test driver,” said Graeme Lowdon, principal of the Cadillac Formula 1 Team.
“Colton is an exceptionally talented racer with proven speed, race craft, and maturity well beyond his years. His experience in top-level American motorsport as part of the TWG Motorsport family makes him an ideal fit for this role, and he will bring valuable and fresh insight, perspective, and energy to our team as we continue to build for the future.”
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