There is nothing quite like a homecoming to wash away the bitter taste of a difficult season. As Motorsport.com reports, Colton Herta found some much-needed joy amidst a troubled 2026 Formula 2 campaign by stepping into Cadillac's Formula 1 machine at the Circuit of the Americas—the exact venue where he secured his maiden IndyCar victory back on 24 March 2019.
That breakthrough triumph with the small Harding Steinbrenner Racing squad made him the youngest ever IndyCar race winner at just 18 years and 359 days old. It launched a strong career with Andretti, yet the championship crown and the Indianapolis 500 always remained just out of reach for the second-generation driver. When the siren call of Formula 1 eventually beckoned, Herta walked away from a comfortable IndyCar seat to chase a new horizon with Cadillac. That journey demanded a leap into the unknown, dovetailing private tests and practice outings with the brutal reality of Formula 2 in a bid to gather European experience and secure his superlicence points.
My goal is still to be in Formula 1 as soon as possible with Cadillac, with GM, with TWG and this is where I want to be.
Unfortunately, the European detour has not gone according to script. The 26-year-old currently languishes 19th in the standings with a meager 26 points to his name, having failed to score since the Belgian round prior to the summer break. The season itself still faces rounds in Qatar and Abu Dhabi, depending on events in the Middle East, leaving the Californian admitting he has "a few more questions than answers." Herta pulled no punches about his current form, stating plainly, "I'm just disappointed with how the year's gone. It's not been good at all."
Yet Friday's FP1 session provided a rare and brilliant oasis. Piloting the MAC-26, Herta acted as a test mule, completing 21 laps to finish 21st, 3.9s seconds off the lead while burning through aero experiments slated to help Cadillac's development path for 2027. Driving an F1 car at the very site of his historic 2019 IndyCar win delivered an unmistakable wave of nostalgia. "It was very enjoyable," Herta reflected. "It felt super special to be able to do it here at home, in front of the home crowd, with the Cadillac."
The transition from modern IndyCar machinery to an F1 beast requires a serious mental adjustment, particularly when braking markers shift from feet to metres and speeds escalate dramatically. Even so, Herta noted that the low-speed racing lines and overall approach bear a striking resemblance. That mileage pushed him to the precipice of the FIA superlicence threshold required for an F1 debut—a paper chase that first reared its head back in 2022 when Red Bull-run AlphaTauri showed interest. He now hopes one more practice outing later this year will officially clear the 40-point barrier.
What comes after that remains shrouded in doubt. With team principal Marcin Budkowksi leaving question marks hanging over Valtteri Bottas' seat alongside Sergio Perez, Herta's F2 struggles are not expected to dictate his ultimate F1 destiny. He remains resolute, declaring, "My goal is still to be in Formula 1 as soon as possible with Cadillac, with GM, with TWG and this is where I want to be." Should Bottas retain the seat or Cadillac opt for a wildcard, an F2 return is not entirely off the table, though spending an entire year idling as a reserve driver holds zero appeal.
Reaching his physical prime, Herta knows time in a competitive cockpit is sacred. Citing Fernando (Alonso, 45) as proof that professional racing can stretch deep into the years, the American is adamant he must remain active somewhere on the globe. Whether that means a partial or full-time deal, the mission is simple: keep racing. For now, the Austin homecoming offered a reminder of just how sweet this machine can feel when everything lines up.
