The all new Cadillac Formula One team has revealed its driver pairing for the team’s debut in 2026. The sport’s new kids on the block have opted for experience over the exuberance of youth. Yet under its previous guise as Andretti during the team’s application phase, non-executive director Mario Andretti has promised the team would deliver an American born driver.
The problem for the team is that their F1 hopeful in Colton Herta has failed to accumulate enough points in his Indycar career to date despite nine wins in the series. The exciting 25 year old Californian born racer is a victim of the FIA’s system of driver accreditation which favours European junior formula drivers over Indycar regardless of their talent.
Having completed his sixth season with front running Indycar team Andretti Racing, Cadillac announced this weekend he will join F2 next season in an attempt to curry favour with the FIA. Herta did race in Europe as a teenager alongside Lando Norris who now gives the American a resounding endorsement.
Colton nicknamed “Hooligan Herta”
“He’s easily capable of driving a Formula 1 car at an incredibly high level,” Norris said when asked in Monza whether Herta could make the leap. The pair competed together in the MSA Formula series in 2015, with Norris claiming the title and Herta with four wins during the year finishing in third.
Herta built a reputation as a fierce racer that year and his path crossed Lando Norris on more than one occasion who dubbed him “Hooligan Herta.” For 2016 the American planned to move to the newly renamed British F3 series, but was too young to compete at the opening rounds. To ensure a full season of racing he switched to the Euroformula championship where with carlin he was again third in the championship with four victories, six podium finishes and five pole positions.
Colton did eventually compete in six British F3 races, earning three podium finishes and a win at at the iconic Brands Hatch. Yet with his progression blocked in Europe, the American was forced to return to the states and the feeder series for Indycar in 2016. He was second at the first race of the year in St Petersburg which he followed up with a victory in the following race.
“‘Really, really shocked’: Hamilton floored as FIA hands him Monza penalty
9 wins in Indycar not good enough for the FIA
The following season he was runner up to his team mate Pato O’Ward but was offered an outing in Indycar by the Harding race team in the season finale in Sonoma. The team retained the Californian’s services for the following season where he finished a remarkable seventh in the championship.
Andretti Racing, front runners in the championship came calling for Herta in 2020 where he has raced ever since. Now the challenge for the young American driver is to return to Europe and in F2 he can learn the mysteries of Pirelli rubber along with a range of circuits where the series races at the same venues as F1.
As reserve driver for Cadillac F1 he will be called upon to race for the team should either Perez or Bottas become unavailable for a weekend. The team’s CEO Dan Townriss has been candid about Herta’s future with the F1 team, talking of a “pathway” for the Californian on his route to an F1 drive.
F1 is for sale confirms Liberty Media
Norris backs Herta for F1
“It’s tricky,” Norris reflected on switching from the US racing series to F1. “Being one of the best in Formula 1 is what’s difficult. But he’s skilled enough to jump in anything and be quick. If that’s still his goal – not just testing, but becoming a race driver – then of course it gets tricky. But he’s easily capable of potentially being in Formula 1. I’d love to see him here.”
Herta’s obstacle has never been speed but regulation. IndyCar does not always yield the 40 Super Licence points the FIA demands for F1 eligibility pretty much unless the driver wins the title. With generational talent Alex Palou dominating the sport currently Formula 2 guarantees 40 super license points to its top three finishers and offers a more forgiving scale further down the order.
If Herta delivers on his billing, F2 could finally unlock the licence barrier that has prevented him from joining the F1 grid. Norris, who has sampled an IndyCar himself, pushed back on the idea that the U.S. championship is somehow a soft alternative. “IndyCar is one of the toughest series in the world. It’s an incredibly tough car to drive – I’ve driven it. The level is incredibly high,” he said.
F2 to offer “pathway” for Colton
Still, he acknowledged the FIA’s stance on maintaining standards. “There still has to be a standard, a qualifying mechanism,” Norris noted. “You can’t just hand out licences.” Average speeds in Indycar often exceed that of Formula One where the fastest ever lap was recorded in Monza by Lewis Hamilton with a 1:18.887 time translating into an average speed of 164.267mph at the 2020 Italian Grand Prix
By way of contrast in this year’s qualifying for the blue ribbon Indy 500 event, the average speed of some drivers topped the 230mph mark. For Cadillac, Herta represents both a marketing asset and a potential future race driver. By placing him alongside Bottas and Perez, the American marque gains experience for its debut season while grooming a home-grown star for the longer term.
For Herta, the arrangement provides access to simulator work, exposure to modern F1 braking and tyre management, and a chance to master the European circuits that remain unfamiliar to him.
“Better than most drivers” says Lando
Norris went further still in his praise. “He’s probably better than most other drivers that are in the ranks and coming up in F3 and F2,” he said – a statement that ensures every one of Herta’s outings in 2026 will be closely scrutinised.
“Hooligan Herta” is unlikely to stick as a nickname should Herta make it into F1, but the American has built a reputation on bravery bordering on recklessness, the sort of lunges that make sponsors hold their breath. Now, Cadillac’s gamble is to polish that raw speed into the precision of F1.
Of course, it all comes down to paperwork. In the FIA’s world, nine IndyCar wins and a championship runner-up finish still do not unlock the door, but a strong F2 season will. It is the sporting equivalent of failing the entrance exam for Harvard despite already running NASA.
From Norris, the enthusiasm is genuine – though one imagines he secretly enjoys reminding everyone that he once nicknamed Herta a “hooligan.”
Wolff confirms short contract for Russell
The drama of the Mercedes Formula One team and its driver contract protracted negotiations is once again coming to the fore. Two years ago it was Hamilton and Russell who were forced to wait until late in the season, before their new deals were confirmed.
The result was the dreaded “one plus one” deal announced as a “multi-year contract” yet clearly behind the scenes Hamilton was unhappy with Mercedes lack of commitment to him. Within weeks he had agreed a deal to move to Ferrari after the only season guaranteed by Mercedes.
Lewis had made it clear he wished to finish his career with the Mercedes team, but the deal offered by Toto Wolff was a slap in the face. Now George Russell finds himself in a similar position despite being the driver who has collected around 75% of the team’s total points haul in 2025. Big hope Kimi Antonelli has failed to live up to his star billing and needs another year with the team to prove he has got what it takes…. READ MORE
With over 30 years of experience in Formula 1 as an insider journalist, I have built trusted connections across the paddock, from race engineers and mechanics to senior team figures. At The Judge 13, I and a handful of trusted colleagues share exclusive Formula 1 news, expert analysis and behind-the-scenes stories you will not find in mainstream motorsport media.
A.J. Hunt is Senior Editor at TJ13, where Andrew oversees editorial standards and contributes to the site’s Formula 1 coverage. A career journalist with experience in both print and digital sports media, Andrew trained in investigative journalism and has written for a range of European sports outlets.
At TJ13, Andrew plays a central role in shaping the site’s output, working across breaking news, analysis, and long-form features. Andrew’s responsibilities include fact-checking, refining editorial structure, and ensuring consistency in reporting across a fast-moving news cycle.
Andrew’s work focuses particularly on the intersection of Formula 1 politics, regulation, and team strategy. Andrew closely follows developments involving the FIA, team leadership, and driver market dynamics, helping to provide context behind the sport’s biggest stories.
With experience covering multiple seasons of Formula 1’s modern hybrid era, Andrew has developed a detailed understanding of how regulatory changes and competitive shifts influence the grid. Andrew’s editorial approach prioritises clarity and context, aiming to help readers navigate complex developments within the sport.
In addition to editorial duties, Andrew is particularly interested in how media narratives shape fan perception of Formula 1, and how reporting can balance speed with accuracy in an increasingly digital news environment.
