News Summary
- Colton Herta will drive Cadillac’s MAC-26 in FP1 at Austin on Friday, October 23, replacing Sergio Pérez for the opening practice session.
- The session starts at 12:30 local time in Texas, equivalent to 13:30 Eastern, 18:30 BST and 23:00 IST.
- Herta will make his fourth official Formula 1 practice appearance of 2026, returning to the scene of his first IndyCar victory in 2019.
Colton Herta will drive Cadillac’s Formula 1 car at Circuit of The Americas on Friday, October 23, when the opening practice session for the 2026 United States Grand Prix begins at 12:30 local time in Austin. The American will replace Sergio Pérez for the one-hour session before handing the MAC-26 back to the Mexican driver for the remainder of the weekend.
For viewers elsewhere in the United States, FP1 begins at 13:30 Eastern Time and 10:30 Pacific Time. British fans can watch from 18:30 BST, while the session starts at 23:00 IST in India. Australian and New Zealand viewers will need to tune in early on Saturday morning.
The appearance is particularly significant for Herta, who will drive a Formula 1 car in an official session on American soil for the first time. The 26-year-old previously completed FP1 outings for Cadillac in Barcelona, Hungary and Italy as part of his development programme.
What time will Colton Herta drive in Austin?
Herta is scheduled to participate in the first free-practice session on Friday, October 23, from 12:30 to 13:30 local time at Circuit of The Americas.
The session lasts 60 minutes, although Cadillac will determine exactly when Herta leaves the garage and how many laps he completes.
| Country / City | Local date | FP1 start |
|---|---|---|
| United States — Austin (CDT) | Fri, Oct 23 | 12:30 |
| United States — New York (EDT) | Fri, Oct 23 | 13:30 |
| United States — Chicago (CDT) | Fri, Oct 23 | 12:30 |
| United States — Denver (MDT) | Fri, Oct 23 | 11:30 |
| United States — Los Angeles (PDT) | Fri, Oct 23 | 10:30 |
| Canada — Toronto (EDT) | Fri, Oct 23 | 13:30 |
| Canada — Vancouver (PDT) | Fri, Oct 23 | 10:30 |
| United Kingdom — London (BST) | Fri, Oct 23 | 18:30 |
| Ireland — Dublin (IST) | Fri, Oct 23 | 18:30 |
| Brazil — Brasília (BRT) | Fri, Oct 23 | 14:30 |
| South Africa — Johannesburg (SAST) | Fri, Oct 23 | 19:30 |
| India — New Delhi (IST) | Fri, Oct 23 | 23:00 |
| Singapore (SGT) | Sat, Oct 24 | 01:30 |
| Malaysia — Kuala Lumpur (MYT) | Sat, Oct 24 | 01:30 |
| Australia — Perth (AWST) | Sat, Oct 24 | 01:30 |
| Australia — Brisbane (AEST) | Sat, Oct 24 | 03:30 |
| Australia — Sydney / Melbourne (AEDT) | Sat, Oct 24 | 04:30 |
| New Zealand — Auckland (NZDT) | Sat, Oct 24 | 06:30 |
All times refer to the beginning of FP1, not the precise moment Herta will take to the track. The session is scheduled to end one hour later.
Where to watch Colton Herta’s Cadillac F1 practice session
The United States Grand Prix will be broadcast by Formula 1’s authorised television and streaming partners.
In the United States, Apple TV carries live coverage of Formula 1 in 2026, including practice, qualifying and Grands Prix. The platform also offers additional feeds and onboard camera options for supported events.
British viewers can follow FP1 on Sky Sports F1, while Indian fans can watch through FanCode. Australian coverage is available through Fox Sports, Foxtel and Kayo Sports.
| Market | Broadcaster / streaming |
|---|---|
| United States | Apple TV |
| United Kingdom | Sky Sports F1 / NOW |
| India | FanCode |
| Australia | Fox Sports / Foxtel / Kayo Sports |
| Canada | TSN / RDS |
| New Zealand | Sky Sport |
| South Africa | SuperSport |
Coverage and subscription requirements vary by territory.
The complete United States Grand Prix viewing guide provides the official broadcasting options and international start times for the race weekend.
Why is Sergio Pérez giving up his Cadillac seat?
Pérez will miss only the opening practice session as part of Cadillac’s rookie-driver programme.
Formula 1 requires teams to provide eligible inexperienced drivers with opportunities to participate in official practice sessions during the season.
Cadillac selected Herta for four FP1 appearances in 2026, allowing him to gain experience of the team’s car, engineering procedures and race-weekend operations.
The American completed his first outing in Barcelona before returning to the cockpit in Hungary and Italy.
Austin will be his fourth scheduled appearance, completing the programme announced earlier in the year.
The arrangement does not represent a change to Cadillac’s race line-up.
Pérez will return to the MAC-26 for FP2 on Friday, while Valtteri Bottas will complete his regular programme in the team’s other car.
Cadillac is also expected to evaluate minor updates to the floor and cooling system during the weekend, making the opening session important for collecting technical information.
Why Austin is special for Colton Herta
Circuit of The Americas has particular significance in Herta’s career because it was the venue of his first IndyCar victory.
The American won the 2019 IndyCar Classic at Austin while competing for Harding Steinbrenner Racing, becoming the youngest winner in championship history at 18 years and 359 days old.
The achievement helped establish him as one of the most promising American single-seater drivers of his generation.
Herta subsequently won nine IndyCar races and finished runner-up in the 2024 championship before leaving the series to pursue his Formula 1 ambitions.
His return to Austin in Cadillac machinery therefore represents an important milestone, even though the appearance is limited to a practice session.
Cadillac confirmed Herta’s return to the circuit where he claimed his first IndyCar victory, describing the outing as an opportunity to contribute to the team’s home Grand Prix preparations.
Herta has already explained that his priority is completing Cadillac’s technical programme and providing useful feedback to the engineers before Pérez returns to the car.
Will Colton Herta race in Formula 1 in 2027?
Herta’s participation in Austin does not mean he has secured a Formula 1 race seat for 2027.
The American left IndyCar to compete in Formula 2 with Hitech during 2026, hoping to accumulate the FIA Super Licence points required for a future promotion.
However, the transition has proved difficult.
Herta currently occupies 19th place in the Formula 2 standings with 29 points, with his strongest result coming in the Barcelona sprint.
The limited practice time and unfamiliar characteristics of Formula 2 machinery have complicated his adaptation.
Formula 2 CEO Bruno Michel recently acknowledged that Herta’s move from IndyCar had proved more difficult than initially expected, highlighting the challenges of adapting to the championship’s qualifying and race formats.
Herta has also expressed interest in returning to the Indianapolis 500 and competing in endurance events with Cadillac if his 2027 programme permits.
His immediate focus, however, remains completing his Formula 2 commitments while continuing his development work with Cadillac.
United States Grand Prix 2026: Full F1 schedule
Austin will host a traditional Grand Prix weekend, with three practice sessions, Saturday qualifying and Sunday’s race.
| Session | Austin local time (CDT) | New York (EDT) | UK |
|---|---|---|---|
| Friday FP1 — Herta drives | Fri 12:30 | Fri 13:30 | Fri 18:30 BST |
| Friday FP2 — Pérez returns | Fri 16:00 | Fri 17:00 | Fri 22:00 BST |
| Saturday FP3 | Sat 12:30 | Sat 13:30 | Sat 18:30 BST |
| Saturday Qualifying | Sat 16:00 | Sat 17:00 | Sat 22:00 BST |
| Sunday Race | Sun 15:00 | Sun 16:00 | Sun 20:00 GMT |
The United Kingdom switches from BST to GMT early on Sunday, October 25.
Qualifying at Austin begins at 16:00 local time on Saturday, with the Grand Prix scheduled for Sunday at 15:00.
