Colton Herta took the wheel of Sergio Perez’s Cadillac MAC‑26 during Friday’s free practice at Barcelona, setting the team back‑up sessions and marking the American’s proud debut in an F1 car.
Test‑drive objectives and results
Herta completed 27 laps, finishing 21st and the slowest on the circuit. Despite the modest times, his goal was to fine‑tune the car’s set‑up window, providing fresh data for Perez’s upcoming sessions. The 26‑year‑old admitted the laps were “enjoyable” and that gaining real‑car speed was a highlight.
Cadillac’s rookie‑development plan
Cadillac’s F1 team sends a rookie to three of the four first‑free‑practice sessions each year, and Herta will occupy all four. The move is part of the squad’s strategy to groom him for a potential F1 career, with the test driver role reinforcing his development pathway.
Insights from the series Monday
“Understanding how everything works is crucial,” Herta said. “The pre‑event meetings, the sensor data, and race‑to‑race development give me a fresh learning curve. There is so much more to process than in IndyCar or any previous series.”
The American highlighted the extraordinary speed of a modern F1 machine, noting the combined impact of acceleration, braking and cornering. He called the experience “very impressive” and described the car as “faster than anything I have done.”
Balancing F1 and F2 campaigns
Herta is also competing in Formula 2 with Hitech, entering the Barcelona weekend in 13th place and having scored points on three occasions. “I need to keep improving,” he said, acknowledging that victory eludes him for now. “Every weekend shows improvement, and that trend is what matters.”
Adjusting from IndyCar to F2 dynamics
With IndyCar as his base for seven seasons, Herta admitted that the transition to F2 feels “foreign.” He said the differences in tyre behaviour, engine torque and downshifts require adaptation. “It’s a mental challenge to learn new things and to execute them,” he explained. “But learning new cars prepares me for a chameleon‑style F1 season.”
Cadillac’s management perspective
CEO Dan Towriss praised the progress Herta made despite the absence of headline results. “Up and down is expected,” he said, stressing that learning new tracks and tyres is a core part of the F2 journey. He noted that Herta’s learning curve aligns with the team’s expectations, with “everything on track.”
The test driver’s performance in Barcelona, coupled with his ongoing F2 campaign, positions him as a promising talent ready to harness Cadillac’s resources and accelerate into the next tier of motorsport.
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