Colton Herta has finally been given an F1 weekend he is allowed to drive. Cadillac F1 has confirmed the American for four Free Practice 1 sessions across the 2026 season, with his maiden run scheduled for the Spanish Grand Prix at Barcelona-Catalunya in June.
The announcement closes one of the most frustrating driver-development sagas in modern F1. Herta was within days of joining AlphaTauri earlier in his career before the FIA's Super License points threshold blocked him. He has now had to absorb two separate near-misses before getting a programme he can physically take part in.
Herta described the collapse of the AlphaTauri deal in personal terms.
"The AlphaTauri deal seemed very real to me," he said. "And then when that didn't happen, I was like, 'Look, okay, kind of getting up there in age, probably won't have another opportunity'."
He outlined how unstable the negotiation became.
"One day it was, if I had to put a percentage, maybe it's 80 per cent, and then the next day he's like, '40. Wait, we've clawed back, so maybe 60'," he recalled.
The ultimate blocker was administrative.
"I had a contract from them," Herta said. "I was just unable to sign, because I didn't have the Super License."
The Cadillac route bypasses the issue. FP1 outings only require a free practice license rather than a full Super License, so Herta can step into a Cadillac at four 2026 weekends and start building the official F1 mileage that the FIA's points system rewards.
Herta did not hide his reaction.
"And then this came around, and I was like, 'Geez, count my lucky stars. This is a amazing opportunity'," he said. "I'm fully focused on making this one the one that counts and works."
When asked whether this counts as a third F1 chance, his answer was direct: "Yeah, 100 per cent."
Cadillac's leadership backed the move on similar terms. Team principal Graeme Lowdon framed Herta as a serious motorsport asset, not just a marketing fit.
"Colton is a top talent, which he has not only proved by building an impressive resume in the NTT IndyCar Series before joining us, but also with a strong start to his Formula 2 season," Lowdon said.
Cadillac CEO Dan Towriss kept it pragmatic.
"Colton has really earned this opportunity," Towriss said. "These sessions are a valuable opportunity for him to integrate with the team, develop his skills behind the wheel and off the track, and learn about a Grand Prix weekend from the inside."
Herta's own statement was measured. "I can't wait to get behind the wheel of the Cadillac Formula 1 Team car for the first time," he said. "I am looking forward to working closely with the team in a full Grand Prix environment and am fully focused on learning from every appearance."
The symbolism is hard to miss. Cadillac is the eleventh team on the grid, the first American works entry of the 21st century, and the only seat on the pit lane currently willing to bet on an American open-wheel star. Herta is the most prominent American open-wheel driver of his generation. The pairing made sense the first time, and it has now been consummated without the FIA visa-style block that broke the last one.
