Cadillac Formulation 1 Staff CEO Dan Towriss has admitted that the squad’s new check driver, Colton Herta, will likely be taking a “big danger” together with his deliberate swap from IndyCar to Formulation 2 subsequent yr, however feels the American has the elements to succeed.
Herta, whose Cadillac testing function was introduced earlier this month, is a longtime racer within the United States-based IndyCar Sequence, having made 116 begins and scored 9 victories, 19 podium finishes and 16 pole positions to date.
Whereas Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez will drive for Cadillac of their debut 2026 season and past, Herta is aiming to make a case for a future seat – and rating invaluable factors in the direction of a Super Licence – by swapping America for Europe and tackling the F2 feeder sequence straight beneath F1.
On the Italian Grand Prix, the place Cadillac’s chiefs made one other go to to the paddock, Towriss defined the explanations behind Herta’s upcoming transfer and famous how racing on the identical tracks as F1 – in addition to utilizing tyres provided by Pirelli – are key elements.
“For Colton, this has at all times been a dream of his, to drive in F1, however to do this, that is the trail he needed to take,” Towriss advised Sky Sports activities F1. “He has to take an enormous danger, an enormous quantity of danger – no seat is assured. That is F1, so he desires to be taught tracks and tyres and present that respect to European open-wheel racing.
“The entitlement mannequin from the US hasn’t labored out that properly previously, so we actually need to construct that physique of labor, the information that’s crucial, to see if he has what it takes to drive in Formulation 1.”
Herta has already tested F1 machinery with McLaren and been in a simulator with a number of groups – Towriss eager to level out that, whereas ends in IndyCar have been combined, the 25-year-old “excelled” at each alternative.
“He actually is a particular expertise,” added Towriss. “I feel lots of people have a look at among the ends in IndyCar and say, ‘Effectively, he hasn’t gained a championship, he’s not with [multiple champion] Alex Palou’.
“I feel as a staff proprietor I’d take some accountability for that; there have been occasions the place there have been troubles on pit lane or technique didn’t work out, however Colton’s an immense expertise and he actually can discover velocity the place others can’t.
“I feel any time he’s had an opportunity to do a check, whether or not it was with McLaren, or time that he’s been within the sim with Alpine, Pink Bull and Sauber, from that standpoint he actually has excelled and proven actually excessive potential and promise for an F1 seat.
“Now that is the possibility to do it. He’s had to decide on this path of taking a giant danger to not have that assure of the seat. He’s abandoning what at this level could be very snug for him, to decide on one thing that’s uncomfortable for him – however no danger, no reward, as they are saying.”
When he heads to F2, it won’t be the primary time that Herta has raced in Europe – the California native beforehand competing on the continent from 2015-16 and spending time as Lando Norris’ staff mate within the MSA Formulation Championship.
