Cadillac Formula 1 Team has named Colton Herta, one of America’s most accomplished racing talents, as its first official Test Driver ahead of the brand’s debut in the 2026 FIA Formula 1 World Championship. The announcement marks a major step for both Cadillac and Herta, who has long been linked with a move to the global stage of Formula 1.
Herta, 25, is no stranger to international racing. The second-generation driver – son of IndyCar veteran Bryan Herta – first competed in Europe in 2015, securing four victories, six podiums, and five pole positions in the Euroformula Open Championship. He also raced in British F3, earning three podiums, including a win at Brands Hatch, before returning stateside in 2017.
Since then, Herta has built a standout résumé in the NTT IndyCar Series with nine career wins, 16 pole positions, and more than 1,000 laps led across 116 starts. He remains the youngest driver ever to win an IndyCar race and pole, a record he set in 2019 at Austin’s Circuit of the Americas – also home to the F1 United States Grand Prix.
Beyond open-wheel racing, he has claimed multiple IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship class victories, including Rolex 24 at Daytona wins in 2019 and 2022, and an overall triumph at the 12 Hours of Sebring in 2024.
Transitioning into his new role under the banner of its race team TWG Motorsports, Herta joins Cadillac’s Formula 1 roster following last month’s announcement that Mercedes veteran Valtteri Bottas and ex-Red Bull Racing ace Sergio ‘Checo’ Pérez will serve as the team’s first race drivers. Future details on Herta’s 2026 racing program will be shared in due course – although he has been strongly linked with a full-time campaign in the FIA Formula 2 Championship to help him learn both F1’s tracks and its similar Pirelli tires, as well as gain points for his so-called F1 ‘superlicence’.
“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.”
Graeme Lowdon, Team Principal of Cadillac Formula 1 Team, added: “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 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.”
With Cadillac entering Formula 1, and Herta taking his first official role in its paddock, the partnership reflects the growing influence of American manufacturers and teams on the sport’s global stage.
