Cadillac: US driver at the wheel for the Formula 1 home Grand Prix in Austin

Home debut for Formula 1’s new American entry! The Cadillac F1 Team, newly formed ahead of this season, is set to contest its first official US Grand Prix this weekend in Texas – though it is not their first race on home soil. A race was already held in Miami back in May, but that was under the name of the Miami GP. The official United States Grand Prix takes place this week in Austin, Texas. For the home race, Cadillac has brought along a small upgrade package for the underbody and cooling system – and a rookie for FP1.

For this special occasion, a special rookie is back behind the wheel: Colton Herta. The American driver (currently competing full-time in Formula 2) will take over the cockpit from Sergio Pérez for 60 minutes during the first free practice session on Friday. The American is completing all four mandatory young driver training sessions for Cadillac this season. The session in Austin is the fourth and therefore the last of the season. Drivers earn points towards their Super Licence for these Friday practice sessions. Formula 2 driver Colton Herta is currently still working on his Super Licence – although, based on the current points standings, it will be difficult for him to make the step up to F1 (read more about this here).

Colton Herta knows Austin well

Team principal Marcin Budkowski, who took over the role after the summer break, said ahead of the US Grand Prix in Texas: “We’re looking forward to having Colton back in the car for the first free practice session on Friday. Colton knows this circuit very well from his time in IndyCar, so his feedback will be invaluable as we establish our starting point for the weekend.”

Herta does indeed know the Circuit of the Americas from the IndyCar Series inside out. It was in Austin that he claimed the first of his nine victories in the series. That was in 2019. Not only did he win as a rookie, but at 18 years and 359 days, he was also the youngest driver in the series’ history to do so. Following a successful spell in the US series, the American would now like to try his luck in Formula 1.

IndyCar-Ass Colton Herta

Foto: XPB

Topic of the week

Topic of the week: MotoGP’s new schedule proved highly controversial

In 2027, MotoGP will also enter the 850cc era with a new schedule. It was not so much the changes themselves as the way the decisions were reached that caused a stir. A prime example of: ‘Talking helps’.

Thomas Kuttruf

Read More

TV Program

Live

Austin: 1. Freies Training

FIA Formula One World Championship

23.10.2026 - 19:25

Herta on his run on Friday: “It’s going to be something very special to drive the MAC-26 in front of the American fans at the Circuit of the Americas. I have great memories of this circuit: my first IndyCar win here in 2019 was a major milestone in my career, so it feels like I’m coming full circle by getting into an F1 car on this track now.”

This will be Herta’s fourth appearance during an F1 race weekend. The US driver said: “Through my FP1 sessions so far in Barcelona, Budapest and Monza, I’ve found a good rhythm with the team, so my aim for Friday morning is clear: to work through the test programme smoothly, help the engineers gather good data on the set-up, and hand the car back to Checo with useful feedback to support the team for the rest of the weekend.” Sergio ‘Checo’ Pérez will have to sit out the 60 minutes.