Colton Herta gets another chance this weekend to prove himself in a Formula 1 car. The 26-year-old American will take the wheel of Sergio Pérez’s Cadillac during the first free practice for the Italian GP. This marks Herta’s third FP1 appearance of the season, after previously participating in Barcelona and Budapest. The American is still aiming for a permanent F1 seat in 2027.
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Herta has been active as a test and development driver for Cadillac since 2026 and was guaranteed multiple free practice sessions upon his appointment. At Monza, he will take over the wheel from Checo during the first session. The Mexican will then return to the Cadillac for the second free practice. For Herta, driving on the Italian circuit presents a new challenge. “This is an excellent opportunity to experience different aspects of the MAC-26,” he responded via official channels. “After high downforce circuits like Barcelona and Budapest, the challenge at Monza will be very different.”
The Temple of Speed is known for its long straights and low drag, meaning the car’s setup and handling will differ significantly from previous circuits. “Because the car is set up for low drag, it will move more, making precision in braking and agile steering between the kerbs in the chicanes more important,” he explained. “I am very happy to contribute to the race weekend and the further development of the team at one of the most iconic circuits in motorsport.”
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Colton Herta aims for F1 contract
Herta is still aiming for a permanent F1 seat with Cadillac, which has focused on strong American involvement from the start. The former IndyCar driver seemed assured of a future contract for a long time, but his performances in Formula 2 have so far been disappointing. Partly because of this, Herta currently has too few super license points to meet the minimum requirements for an F1 contract.
At Monza, he is not the only rookie to take part in a free practice session. Luke Browning will again step in at Williams, while Paul Aron will serve at Alpine during FP1.
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