‘High potential’ Colton Herta told by Cadillac chief why his IndyCar strengths make him perfect for F1

Follow us on Google Discover

Colton Herta has been named as the official test driver for the Cadillac F1 team ahead of 2026, paving the way for a return to racing in Europe for the American.

The announcement completes the driver line-up for Cadillac after they confirmed Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez would be their main drivers for 2026, bringing experience to the fold.

Herta is a big name from the US who has had success in IndyCar over the last couple of years, finishing as high as second place in the championship in 2024.

Discussing why they chose Herta as their test driver on the Off Track podcast, Cadillac F1 CEO Dan Towriss explained why he thinks the American has the skills that could make him a success in F1 in the future.

Dan Towriss explains why Colton Herta is perfect for F1

Herta has said that racing in F1 would be his “dream” and that this move to Cadillac puts him one step closer to realising that, indicating that he would like to race for the team.

Towriss believes Herta has demonstrated that he has the skills to adapt to F1, despite the learning curve that most drivers must undertake to be successful.

“Colton, through the various tests, has shown high potential in an F1-type car. A lot of times when people think about F1 or IndyCar or NASCAR, they think being successful in one means you’ll be successful in a different one, and I just don’t think that’s actually the case,” said Towriss.

“They are very different. It’s very challenging to go from IndyCar to another one; you’re unlearning all of your instincts, doing the opposite. Colton has shown very high potential in an F1-type car; he’s very good with high-commitment corners, and he’s done very well on street and road courses in IndyCar.

“Colton also adapts to new information very quickly, and his driving style has been adapted very well to doing complex things in the car, and I think all of those are going to be skills that are needed in F1.”

Does Colton Herta have an F1 Superlicence?

One of the main barriers to Herta making a switch to F1 is his current FIA superlicence status, with him not having the required 40 points to obtain one despite his IndyCar experience.

The FIA has historically ranked IndyCar lower than Formula 2 in for its superlicence points and taking into account the last three seasons, Herta would only have 35 points.

A switch to racing in Formula 2 for 2026 could see him earn enough if he finishes inside the top eight places in the Drivers’ Championship.

Herta unsuccessfully tried to get dispensation for a superlicence in 2022 when Red Bull attempted to run him as a replacement for Nyck de Vries.