Colton Herta leaving IndyCar Series to become test driver for new Cadillac Formula 1 team
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IndyCar driver Colton Herta is leaving the series with the hopes of eventually landing a Formula 1 ride.
Cadillac announced that Herta would be a test driver for the team in 2026 as it embarks on its first season in F1. Cadillac previously announced that F1 veterans Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez would be its main drivers for the team’s inaugural season.
“I’m incredibly excited to be joining the Cadillac Formula 1 team as a test driver,” Herta said in a statement. “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 move will give him a greater opportunity to earn the superlicense points he needs to drive in F1. The superlicense criteria has been a point of contention in recent seasons as Herta’s name had been thrown around as a possibility for an F1 ride.
Cadillac F1 is owned by TWG Motorsports, the same team that now owns the Andretti Autosport team that Herta has driven for in the IndyCar Series.
Herta, the son of longtime IndyCar driver Bryan Herta, has nine IndyCar wins across seven seasons. His last win came in 2024 in the season finale at Nashville. He finished seventh in the 2025 standings with five top-five finishes across 17 races.
Cadillac didn’t announce what Herta’s role would be other than a test driver and it remains possible that he could run the 2026 Formula 2 season as well. Cadillac is set to be the second American team on the F1 grid along with Haas F1, however there are no American drivers signed for any of the 22 cars in the field for the 2026 season.
“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,” Cadillac F1 team principal Graeme Lowdon said. “Colton represents the passion, ambition and competitive spirit that define the Cadillac Formula 1 team and we are proud to hav him carry the American flag with us on the world stage.”
