SEPTEMBER 3, 2025

Cadillac F1 signs Herta as test driver for 2026

The Cadillac Formula 1 Team has confirmed American racer Colton Herta as its first Test Driver as the new outfit builds towards its 2026 Formula 1 World Championship debut.

Herta, 25, arrives with nine wins and 16 pole positions in the Indycar, where he has also led more than 1,000 laps across 116 starts. In 2019, he became the youngest driver to win an IndyCar race and take pole, achievements secured at the Circuit of the Americas, a regular F1 venue.

His appointment provides Cadillac with an American driver in its early roster, alongside race drivers Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Pérez, who were announced in August.

For Herta, the move represents both a new chapter and a return to familiar ground. As a teenager, he raced in Europe, taking four victories, six podiums and five poles in Euroformula Open, as well as a British F3 win at Brands Hatch, before returning to the U.S. in 2017.

In addition to his single-seater record, Herta has enjoyed success in endurance racing, with class wins at the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona in 2019 and 2022, plus outright victory at the 12 Hours of Sebring in 2024.

This is a dream opportunity, and one I've been working towards for a long time, Herta said. 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.

Team Principal Graeme Lowdon said, We are delighted to welcome Colton Herta as a Test Driver. Colton is an exceptionally talented racer with proven speed, race craft, and maturity well beyond his years. His experience in top-level American motorsport makes him an ideal fit for this role, and he will bring valuable and fresh insight as we continue to build for the future.

Having an American driver join an American Formula 1 team is a hugely significant moment, not only for our team, but for American motorsport as a whole.

Further details of Herta's 2026 racing program will be confirmed later.