Driver ready to make F1 debut at Spanish GP and hit a 10-year milestone
Colin Herta is set to make his Formula 1 debut this weekend during Free Practice 1 (FP1) at the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona. The 26-year-old American will drive Sergio Perez’s #11 Cadillac in a live race weekend session this Friday. Colin has been preparing by practicing on Cadillac’s simulator in Charlotte and spending time with the team at the track, including Silverstone.
While Herta has tested McLaren F1 cars before through the Testing of Previous Cars program, this will be his first time in an actual grand prix session. This weekend marks the first of four FP1 sessions he’ll take part in during the 2026 World Championships. He’ll be the first US driver to step into F1 straight from IndyCar since Alexander Rossi in 2016.
Under the 2026 F1 rules, every team must give young drivers FP1 experience during the season. Cadillac isn’t the only team doing this—McLaren will also swap Lando Norris for F2 champion Leonardo Fornaroli in FP1 this weekend. Additionally, top driver Kimi Antonelli will sit out FP1, with Mercedes reserve Frederik Vesti stepping in. Williams will have Luke Browning take over for Alex Albon in FP1 and plan for him to replace Carlos Sainz at the Austrian Grand Prix later this month.
Colin shared his excitement: “I’m really looking forward to Barcelona. I’ve spent a lot of time in the simulator learning the track and session rules. I’ve also worked with the team at Silverstone and during recent races to get familiar with how everything works. My goal is to have a clean session, help gather important data, and get comfortable with the F1 car. It will be a busy weekend as I’m also racing in F2, but I see pressure as a privilege and can’t wait.”
If you’re a Sky TV customer, there’s a great offer to add the Sky Sports F1 channel for just £15 a month on a 31-day rolling contract. The action is heating up with races across Europe, including Barcelona, Austria, Silverstone’s British GP on July 5, plus Belgium and Hungary. Sky Sports F1 is your go-to for live coverage of every practice and qualifier, plus amazing behind-the-scenes access, exclusive interviews, and expert analysis. And if you’re on the go, Sky Sports customers can stream all the F1 action live on their phone or tablet through the Sky Sports app.