{"id":4220,"date":"2026-10-21T15:30:00","date_gmt":"2026-10-21T18:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/?p=4220"},"modified":"2026-10-20T12:17:59","modified_gmt":"2026-10-20T15:17:59","slug":"what-time-will-colton-herta-drive-cadillacs-f1-car-at-austin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/f1\/what-time-will-colton-herta-drive-cadillacs-f1-car-at-austin\/","title":{"rendered":"What time will Colton Herta drive Cadillac&#8217;s F1 car at Austin?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">News Summary<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Colton Herta will drive Cadillac&#8217;s MAC-26 in FP1 at Austin on Friday, October 23<\/strong>, replacing Sergio P\u00e9rez for the opening practice session.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>The session starts at 12:30 local time in Texas<\/strong>, equivalent to 13:30 Eastern, 18:30 BST and 23:00 IST.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Herta will make his fourth official Formula 1 practice appearance of 2026<\/strong>, returning to the scene of his first IndyCar victory in 2019.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Colton Herta will drive Cadillac&#8217;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.<\/strong> The American will replace Sergio P\u00e9rez for the one-hour session before handing the MAC-26 back to the Mexican driver for the remainder of the weekend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For viewers elsewhere in the United States, <strong>FP1 begins at 13:30 Eastern Time and 10:30 Pacific Time<\/strong>. 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What time will Colton Herta drive in Austin?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The session lasts 60 minutes, although Cadillac will determine exactly when Herta leaves the garage and how many laps he completes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><th>Country \/ City<\/th><th>Local date<\/th><th>FP1 start<\/th><\/tr><tr><td><strong>United States \u2014 Austin (CDT)<\/strong><\/td><td>Fri, Oct 23<\/td><td><strong>12:30<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>United States \u2014 New York (EDT)<\/td><td>Fri, Oct 23<\/td><td>13:30<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>United States \u2014 Chicago (CDT)<\/td><td>Fri, Oct 23<\/td><td>12:30<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>United States \u2014 Denver (MDT)<\/td><td>Fri, Oct 23<\/td><td>11:30<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>United States \u2014 Los Angeles (PDT)<\/td><td>Fri, Oct 23<\/td><td>10:30<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Canada \u2014 Toronto (EDT)<\/td><td>Fri, Oct 23<\/td><td>13:30<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Canada \u2014 Vancouver (PDT)<\/td><td>Fri, Oct 23<\/td><td>10:30<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>United Kingdom \u2014 London (BST)<\/td><td>Fri, Oct 23<\/td><td>18:30<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Ireland \u2014 Dublin (IST)<\/td><td>Fri, Oct 23<\/td><td>18:30<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Brazil \u2014 Bras\u00edlia (BRT)<\/td><td>Fri, Oct 23<\/td><td>14:30<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>South Africa \u2014 Johannesburg (SAST)<\/td><td>Fri, Oct 23<\/td><td>19:30<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>India \u2014 New Delhi (IST)<\/strong><\/td><td>Fri, Oct 23<\/td><td><strong>23:00<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Singapore (SGT)<\/td><td>Sat, Oct 24<\/td><td>01:30<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Malaysia \u2014 Kuala Lumpur (MYT)<\/td><td>Sat, Oct 24<\/td><td>01:30<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Australia \u2014 Perth (AWST)<\/td><td>Sat, Oct 24<\/td><td>01:30<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Australia \u2014 Brisbane (AEST)<\/td><td>Sat, Oct 24<\/td><td>03:30<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Australia \u2014 Sydney \/ Melbourne (AEDT)<\/td><td>Sat, Oct 24<\/td><td>04:30<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>New Zealand \u2014 Auckland (NZDT)<\/td><td>Sat, Oct 24<\/td><td>06:30<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>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.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Where to watch Colton Herta&#8217;s Cadillac F1 practice session<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The United States Grand Prix will be broadcast by Formula 1&#8217;s authorised television and streaming partners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the United States, <strong>Apple TV carries live coverage of Formula 1 in 2026<\/strong>, including practice, qualifying and Grands Prix. The platform also offers additional feeds and onboard camera options for supported events.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><th>Market<\/th><th>Broadcaster \/ streaming<\/th><\/tr><tr><td><strong>United States<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Apple TV<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>United Kingdom<\/td><td>Sky Sports F1 \/ NOW<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>India<\/td><td>FanCode<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Australia<\/td><td>Fox Sports \/ Foxtel \/ Kayo Sports<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Canada<\/td><td>TSN \/ RDS<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>New Zealand<\/td><td>Sky Sport<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>South Africa<\/td><td>SuperSport<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Coverage and subscription requirements vary by territory.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <a href=\"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/f1\/where-to-watch-the-2026-us-grand-prix-live-in-the-us-uk-india-and-australia\/\">complete United States Grand Prix viewing guide<\/a> provides the official broadcasting options and international start times for the race weekend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why is Sergio P\u00e9rez giving up his Cadillac seat?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">P\u00e9rez will miss only the opening practice session as part of Cadillac&#8217;s rookie-driver programme.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Formula 1 requires teams to provide eligible inexperienced drivers with opportunities to participate in official practice sessions during the season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Cadillac selected Herta for four FP1 appearances in 2026, allowing him to gain experience of the team&#8217;s car, engineering procedures and race-weekend operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The American completed his first outing in Barcelona before returning to the cockpit in Hungary and Italy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Austin will be his fourth scheduled appearance, completing the programme announced earlier in the year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The arrangement does not represent a change to Cadillac&#8217;s race line-up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>P\u00e9rez will return to the MAC-26 for FP2 on Friday<\/strong>, while Valtteri Bottas will complete his regular programme in the team&#8217;s other car.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why Austin is special for Colton Herta<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Circuit of The Americas has particular significance in Herta&#8217;s career because it was the venue of his first IndyCar victory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The American won the 2019 IndyCar Classic at Austin while competing for Harding Steinbrenner Racing, becoming the youngest winner in championship history at <strong>18 years and 359 days old<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The achievement helped establish him as one of the most promising American single-seater drivers of his generation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Herta subsequently won nine IndyCar races and finished runner-up in the 2024 championship before leaving the series to pursue his Formula 1 ambitions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">His return to Austin in Cadillac machinery therefore represents an important milestone, even though the appearance is limited to a practice session.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/f1\/herta-replaces-perez-at-cadillac-for-austin-f1-practice-in-emotional-american-homecoming\/\">Cadillac confirmed Herta&#8217;s return to the circuit where he claimed his first IndyCar victory<\/a>, describing the outing as an opportunity to contribute to the team&#8217;s home Grand Prix preparations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Herta has already explained that his priority is completing Cadillac&#8217;s technical programme and providing useful feedback to the engineers before P\u00e9rez returns to the car.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Will Colton Herta race in Formula 1 in 2027?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Herta&#8217;s participation in Austin does not mean he has secured a Formula 1 race seat for 2027.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, the transition has proved difficult.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Herta currently occupies <strong>19th place in the Formula 2 standings with 29 points<\/strong>, with his strongest result coming in the Barcelona sprint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The limited practice time and unfamiliar characteristics of Formula 2 machinery have complicated his adaptation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Formula 2 CEO Bruno Michel recently acknowledged that <a href=\"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/f2\/f2-boss-admits-hertas-indycar-gamble-backfired-we-underestimated-the-difference\/\">Herta&#8217;s move from IndyCar had proved more difficult than initially expected<\/a>, highlighting the challenges of adapting to the championship&#8217;s qualifying and race formats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Herta has also expressed interest in returning to the Indianapolis 500 and competing in endurance events with Cadillac if his 2027 programme permits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">His immediate focus, however, remains completing his Formula 2 commitments while continuing his development work with Cadillac.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">United States Grand Prix 2026: Full F1 schedule<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Austin will host a traditional Grand Prix weekend, with three practice sessions, Saturday qualifying and Sunday&#8217;s race.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><th>Session<\/th><th>Austin local time (CDT)<\/th><th>New York (EDT)<\/th><th>UK<\/th><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Friday FP1 \u2014 Herta drives<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Fri 12:30<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Fri 13:30<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Fri 18:30 BST<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Friday FP2 \u2014 P\u00e9rez returns<\/td><td>Fri 16:00<\/td><td>Fri 17:00<\/td><td>Fri 22:00 BST<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Saturday FP3<\/td><td>Sat 12:30<\/td><td>Sat 13:30<\/td><td>Sat 18:30 BST<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Saturday Qualifying<\/td><td>Sat 16:00<\/td><td>Sat 17:00<\/td><td>Sat 22:00 BST<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Sunday Race<\/td><td>Sun 15:00<\/td><td>Sun 16:00<\/td><td>Sun 20:00 GMT<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>The United Kingdom switches from BST to GMT early on Sunday, October 25.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/f1\/what-time-is-f1-qualifying-at-austin-us-gp-start-times-for-every-country\/\">Qualifying at Austin begins at 16:00 local time on Saturday<\/a>, with the Grand Prix scheduled for Sunday at 15:00.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Colton Herta will replace Sergio P\u00e9rez in Cadillac&#8217;s first practice session at the United States Grand Prix on Friday, October 23, returning to the circuit where he won his first IndyCar race.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1001097995,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"42wp_featured_image_caption":"Colton 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