Three reasons why Cadillac were spot on signing Colton Herta as a 2026 Formula 1 test driver

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Cadillac have completed the line-up for their debut Formula 1 season as Colton Herta will join the team as their test and reserve driver for 2026.

The IndyCar star will be part of the F1 paddock next season after years of speculation linking him to the pinnacle of motorsport. He will now get his chance with newcomers Cadillac, who join the grid as the 11th team in 2026.

Cadillac have signed Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez as their drivers for next year, opting for experience with their first pairing in F1. Herta will work closely with the duo as a test and reserve driver, in what will likely feature simulator work, TPC tests and possibly FP1 appearances.

Herta was targeting a main seat at Cadillac, with it being understood that the team wanted to sign an American driver. However, superlicence points proved to be a problem, with General Motors ultimately going for Bottas and Perez.

But the team have kept the 25-year-old in mind as he joins Cadillac as their third driver, and there are several reasons why they have made the right decision with Herta’s signing.

Cadillac have kept Colton Herta on their radar for some time – they clearly have faith in him

As aforementioned, Herta had been on Cadillac’s radar for some time. The team identified him as an option from IndyCar via his Andretti connections – Cadillac have effectively taken over their operation at Silverstone after Andretti’s entry to F1 was rejected in 2023.

Mario Andretti was a keen admirer of Herta and considered him a top candidate when the team were assessing their options. Furthermore, ‘high-ranking’ Cadillac executives wanted to sign Herta over Bottas or Perez, but he ended up missing out.

Clearly, multiple key figures at Cadillac have confidence and trust in Herta and his ability. It makes complete sense to bring him in, given his relationship with the team.

Colton Herta can expose Cadillac to new audiences and provides commercial value as an American driver

Perhaps the biggest positive Herta can bring to Cadillac is his commercial value. Technically, he will be the first driver in the paddock from the US since Logan Sargeant, after he was sacked by Williams midway through 2024.

Having an American driver in an American team goes hand-in-hand. But most importantly, he can expose Cadillac to a new audience with fans from the US and even IndyCar fans who have been watching Herta closely.

The General Motors-backed team will already be popular in the US, and Herta’s signing will give them every reason to follow them in 2026 with a keen interest.

READ MORE: All to know about General Motors’ Cadillac F1 team from engine to drivers

Colton Herta gives Cadillac an exciting talent to develop for the future next to Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez

The 25-year-old has been linked with F1 teams for years, having joined McLaren as a development driver in 2022. Andrea Stella was blown away by Herta in private testing, but he never got the chance to take part in a Grand Prix weekend.

Moves to Alfa Romeo and AlphaTauri never materialised, but now with Cadillac, he has the chance to develop and become properly accustomed to F1 machinery. With the right programme, he could become a strong talent for the team in the future.

With Bottas and Perez having more than 500 Grand Prix appearances combined, Cadillac do not need another experienced head. A younger reserve driver allows them to develop a talent for future seasons, especially when their 2026 drivers are both 35 years old.

Bottas and Perez likely do not have long-term futures in F1 beyond their current contracts, highlighting the necessity to develop young drivers. Alex Palou wants to see Herta race in F1 in 2027; with the correct training, that could well be possible.

Cadillac signing Colton Herta over other targets could have some limitations

While Herta is the right driver to have next to Bottas and Perez, there are some negatives that are worth mentioning and need to be addressed by Cadillac.

The American has no experience with Ferrari engines and limited experience with F1 machinery, for that matter. The new technical regulations will not help either, as Cadillac do not have previous cars for him to test with.

Therefore, Herta will need to get up to speed quickly and adapt to the new cars so that he can provide technical feedback. His lack of expertise in F1 compared to other candidates could hamper the team.

The likes of Zhou Guanyu and Mick Schumacher have worked with Ferrari machinery in the past, while Jak Crawford and Felipe Drugovich have experience in testing roles, all of which were linked with Cadillac. It is a risk signing Herta in that regard, but the team clearly have faith that he can deliver.