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Who Is Colton Herta? America’s New F1 Prospect

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Luke-John Buckle | Last updated Sep 3, 2025 5:06 PM ET

Colton Herta has been a blisteringly fast young charger in IndyCar and is now stepping into the world of Formula 1 as Cadillac's test driver for the 2026 season.

This is a significant moment in Herta's motorsport journey after making his single-seater debut in 2013 at just 13 years old.

The American driver has been a frontrunner in IndyCar since his first full season in 2019 and has won nine races. He also took victories prior to that while competing in Formula 1's junior categories against talent including Lando Norris.

Herta joining the new Cadillac team in Formula 1 is a risk, as the 25-year-old is leaving the relative comfort of IndyCar. However, it remains to be seen whether he is capable of competing in F1.

Can Colton Herta Buck America's F1 Trend?

American drivers have had a checkered history in Formula 1, with talent from the United States having mixed levels of success.

Mario Andretti and Phil Hill both won the F1 world championship, but more recently, Logan Sargeant failed to manage two seasons at Williams. He lost his seat midway through last year.

Herta's test driver role will provide him with the perfect opportunity to learn about the inner workings of the world championship and become a success in F1. He explained that joining Cadillac was something Herta had to grasp.

Despite this, securing a spot on the F1 grid for 2027 may be challenging for Herta, given the influx of rookies on this year's grid and the presence of more young drivers in Formula 2.

From IndyCar to F1.

Our new Test Driver, Colton Herta

Read more at: https://t.co/ckAdwQs35g pic.twitter.com/AARU589oUx
— Cadillac Formula 1 Team (@Cadillac_F1) September 3, 2025

Herta Needs to Adapt Quickly

He hasn't yet secured the Super Licence required to race in F1. Therefore, a seat in Formula 2 next year may allow Herta to get a superlicence, adjust to European tracks, and the notoriously tricky Pirelli tires.

If Herta were to secure a drive in F2 alongside his test driver role at Cadillac, the American would need to adjust quickly. He will have less experience with the Pirelli tires than the rest of the field, and the majority of circuits will be completely new.

This could cause issues as testing is limited in pre-season, and the 22 drivers only get a 45-minute practice session before qualifying on race weekends.

It would be a superb achievement for Herta to compete in F1, but it may be his biggest test yet.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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