Colton Herta signs on as Cadillac F1 test driver for 2026, set to back up Bottas and Perez
Cadillac has added some American firepower to its Formula 1 project, naming IndyCar frontrunner Colton Herta as official test driver for 2026. The 25-year-old will also serve as reserve to the team’s freshly announced race pairing of Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez when the new outfit hits the grid next season.
It’s a move that’s been brewing for a while. Herta’s name has circled F1 repeatedly in recent years—most loudly during his flirtation with the Red Bull system—but a full-time seat never materialized, largely because he doesn’t yet hold the necessary FIA Super Licence points. A structured testing and reserve program with Cadillac gives him a clear runway into the paddock while the new team knuckles down for its debut.
“I’m incredibly excited to be joining the Cadillac Formula 1 Team as a Test Driver,” 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.”
Herta’s addition arrives only weeks after Cadillac confirmed its inaugural driver lineup of two proven race winners in Bottas and Perez—an experienced spine around which to build a brand-new team. Slotting Herta in as test/reserve is smart on multiple fronts: he brings raw pace and sharp feedback, he knows how to win stateside, and he plugs Cadillac directly into the U.S. fanbase with an American driver in American colors.
Cadillac team principal Graeme Lowdon didn’t try to hide the symbolism. “Colton is an exceptionally talented racer with proven speed, race craft, and maturity well beyond his years,” Lowdon said. “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.
“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. 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.”
On the practical side, expect the workload to be heavy on simulator running and development duties as Cadillac accelerates toward its 2026 entry. Track mileage—where allowed—will be crucial not only for the program but also for Herta’s own Super Licence trajectory. Cadillac and TWG Motorsports say his 2026 racing schedule will be confirmed in due course, a sign there’s more to stitch together behind the scenes to keep him sharp and eligible.
Herta’s nine IndyCar victories speak for themselves, and while the leap from American open-wheel to F1 is steep, the skill set translates. For Cadillac, pairing that raw speed with the racecraft and experience of Bottas and Perez gives the fledgling squad a balanced toolkit: veterans to set the benchmark and a hungry tester to push the development curve.
There’s also the bigger picture. The sport’s U.S. footprint has expanded rapidly, but America hasn’t had a sustained, headline-grabbing homegrown presence at the sharp end in decades. An American manufacturer, an American team identity, and now an American driver embedded in the project—that’s the storyline Cadillac is leaning into. Whether Herta turns this into a full-time shot will depend on performance, paperwork, and timing. But the door is clearly open, and he’s finally got a hand on the handle.
