The American team, as confirmed by Mario Andretti, is targeting Colton Herta for 2026.
A few days ago, the official announcement was made regarding Team Cadillac‘s entry into Formula 1 starting from 2026. The American team, supported by General Motors and Andretti, will pay 450 million dollars to the ten existing teams, an incredible sum compared to the current participation fee of 200 million.
Cadillac is fine-tuning its program, starting with the management structure. Mario Andretti has been appointed as a member of the team’s internal board, and the former Ferrari driver, in an interview, gave an update on the situation, discussing the team’s management and its initial search for drivers. One name is already at the top of the list: Colton Herta.
The young American driver, as confirmed by Andretti, is at the top of Cadillac’s list. These were his words: ‘He has always been a key name for this team. Although we haven’t discussed it recently, he remains a target. His experience working closely with drivers like Lando Norris, thanks to his collaboration with McLaren, shows his potential and readiness to take on this challenge.’
The obstacle standing between Colton Herta and Formula 1 is the superlicense. At the moment, the American driver has 32 points (accumulated over the last three years), eight less than the minimum requirement. To gain the necessary points, Herta would need a top-four finish in next season’s IndyCar, or a fifth-place finish combined with participation in F1 practice sessions.
Andretti expressed confidence about Herta obtaining the superlicense, as confirmed by his words: ‘There are several ways to reach the goal. The points system is a challenge, but it’s within his reach. With a luckier IndyCar season, he would have already met the requirements. I don’t think this is a real concern: the target is very close.’
Photo: X Colton Herta