Cadillac F1 Team has confirmed that Colton Herta will make his debut on the F1 grid at the upcoming 2026 F1 Spanish Grand Prix. The 26-year-old is set to make four Free Practice 1 sessions throughout the 2026 F1 season, with the other three weekends yet to be announced.
Herta currently races in Formula 2 with Hitech, supported by Cadillac, and serves as the American team’s test driver. The American driver is entering a transitional phase in his career as he navigates the Formula 1 ladder, coming off a seven-year stint in IndyCar.
Herta expresses excitement about F1 debut
The nine-time IndyCar race winner is looking forward to getting behind the wheel of an F1 car for the first time. Cadillac will be the perfect environment for the American driver to gain more insight into F1, with veteran drivers Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez leading the team.
“I can’t wait to get behind the wheel of the Cadillac Formula 1 Team car for the first time,”
“I am looking forward to working closely with the team in a full Grand Prix environment and am fully focused on learning from every appearance. I hope I can contribute to the overall race weekend and help the team, Checo [Sergio] and Valtteri as much as possible.”
Cadillac F1 Team Principal, Graeme Lowdon, speaking on Herta’s potential
Lowdon took the time to praise Herta’s potential and spoke on how Cadillac plans to extract and develop the American’s race pace. While Herta may have only made his Formula 2 debut earlier this year at the season-opener in Melbourne, with seven seasons of IndyCar experience under his belt, the American driver has already made a strong impression on the grid.
“Colton [Herta] is a top talent, which he has not only proved by building an impressive resume in the NTT IndyCar Series before joining us, but also with a strong start to his Formula 2 season.
“Completing all four of our young driver FP1 sessions is a natural next step in his test driver role, and I look forward to seeing what he can bring in terms of development and focus.”
Cadillac’s F1 CEO, Dan Towriss, on the importance of FP1 sessions for young drivers such as Herta
Towriss shared his opinion on the importance and significance of these FP1 sessions for young drivers such as Herta. Not only does this help Herta better integrate into the team when he does join Cadillac, but it also allows him to familiarise himself with the mechanics of F1.
“Colton has really earned this opportunity. These sessions are a valuable opportunity for him to integrate with the team, develop his skills behind the wheel and off the track, and learn about a Grand Prix weekend from the inside.”
