As Cadillac prepares to make its long-awaited debut in Formula 1 in 2026, the American auto giant has set its sights on IndyCar sensation Colton Herta as one of its potential drivers. Mario Andretti, who serves as the director on the board of the newly established Cadillac F1 team, recently confirmed that Herta is being considered for the prestigious F1 opportunity.
General Motors and TWG Global have already struck an agreement in principle with Formula 1 to establish a Cadillac team for the 2026 season, marking the first new team to join the grid since 2016. As part of this partnership, Cadillac will introduce a new F1 power unit and, eventually, will build its own F1 vehicles and power units by the end of the decade. For now, the team will rely on Ferrari for power units and gearboxes.
While the team has yet to finalize its driver line-up, expectations are that Cadillac will sign a young American driver alongside a more experienced F1 competitor to launch their venture into the sport. Andretti, closely involved in the project, shared insights on the team’s focus on Herta.
“From the beginning of this project, the team always looked at the prospect of Colton Herta to be one of the drivers,” Andretti told Motorsport.com. “As far as I know, this is something we had not discussed lately because there’s still time, and that remains a priority. I’m sure that’s the direction he would like to go. He trained there and raced alongside the likes of, just to name one, Lando Norris, who is obviously very prominent now with McLaren. He is from that era, if you will—young, vibrant, and ready to go.”
A Look at Colton Herta’s Career
Colton Herta, son of former IndyCar and Champ Car driver Bryan Herta, has built an impressive career in motorsport. The California-born driver began karting at age 6 and made his competitive debut at age 10 in the SKUSA and IKF series. He quickly progressed to single-seater racing, debuting in the USF2000 Championship in 2014 and achieving early success.
Herta’s rise continued in 2017 when he joined the Indy Lights Series with Steinbrenner Racing, where he won Rookie of the Year honors and finished third in the championship. He went on to dominate in IndyCar, securing several podium finishes and victories. In 2024, Herta had a standout season, scoring two wins and four podiums, ultimately finishing second in the championship.
As Herta continues to establish himself in IndyCar, his potential move to F1 with Cadillac would mark a significant milestone in his career, adding another chapter to his impressive trajectory in motorsport.
Both the Cadillac F1 team and Herta have much to look forward to as the 2026 season approaches. Fans of the sport will be closely watching to see if this talented IndyCar driver makes the leap to the pinnacle of motorsport.
