The long wait is finally over for Colton Herta. Following the administrative drama that rocked the paddock at the Mexico City GP last week, the American driver has officially secured the FIA superlicence, serving as his golden ticket to compete in Formula 1.
Confirmation came after Herta completed the first free practice session (FP1) at the Interlagos circuit in Sao Paulo. Taking over the Cadillac cockpit from Sergio Perez, Herta completed the required 24 laps, fulfilling the 100km mileage requirement to claim the crucial point that had previously eluded him.
Previously, the Cadillac team was involved in an embarrassing calculation error. They believed Herta only needed one more point in Mexico, but a data error regarding his IndyCar standings last year left him stranded at 39 points. "It was a fatal error in the team's mathematics," revealed a paddock insider closely monitoring the American's transition to the pinnacle of motorsport.
With a total of 35 points accumulated from his IndyCar performances between 2023 and 2025, combined with the four points earned from FP1 sessions throughout this season—including Barcelona, Austria, the United States, and Mexico—Herta has now officially hit the 40-point threshold. This achievement comes as a breath of fresh air for Cadillac, which is currently evaluating its driver lineup for the 2027 season.
Herta's outing at Interlagos went smoothly without any significant technical setbacks, a stark contrast to the MAC-26 brake temperature and suspension issues that had hampered Cadillac's progress in earlier rounds. Now, with the administrative paperwork finalized, Herta is legitimately a strong candidate on the team's radar, awaiting a final decision to fill a primary race seat in the future.
Amid the ongoing driver market uncertainty, which includes figures like Lewis Hamilton demanding hierarchy at Ferrari, the presence of fresh talent like Herta adds a new dimension to the competition dynamics for the upcoming season.
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Valtteri Bottas addresses rumors of being replaced by Colton Herta at Cadillac for 2027. Read the full analysis on the current driver market at Sportrik.
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