IndyCar star Colton Herta has joined Cadillac as the new team’s test driver for the 2026 Formula 1 season.
The nine-times IndyCar race winner is widely expected to step down into Formula 2 next season in a bid to secure the superlicence points needed to move into grand prix racing. Herta does not have enough points to qualify for a seat in F1, despite finishing as runner-up in the IndyCar series last season.
Herta said he is “incredibly excited” by the announcement. “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.”
Herta briefly raced in Europe in the mid-2010s. He spent a season as Lando Norris’s team mate at Carlin, finishing third in the standings as the future F1 driver won the title.
Team principal Graeme Lowden described Herta as “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,” Lowden continued, “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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Cadillac is owned by US carmaking giant General Motors. Lowden said hiring an American driver “is a hugely significant moment, not only for our team, but for American motorsport as a whole.”
“Colton represents the passion, ambition, and competitive spirit that define the Cadillac Formula 1 Team, and we are proud to have him carry the American flag with us on the world stage.”
Cadillac previously announced Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez as its race drivers for next season.
