Colton Herta Replaces Pérez for Spanish GP Free Practice 1

Cadillac confirmed on Tuesday, June 9 that Colton Herta will get behind the wheel of one of their cars during an official Formula 1 session this weekend. The American driver, who is currently competing in Formula 2, will step in for Sergio Pérez at the start of the Spanish Grand Prix weekend in Barcelona.

The team shared an official statement announcing the decision, confirming that Herta would take the wheel of Pérez's MAC-26 for Friday's first free practice session. The team described the outing as his first official appearance on track in Cadillac colours and framed it as part of his ongoing development programme with the outfit.

Herta made clear he was ready for the challenge. The 26-year-old expressed genuine excitement ahead of Barcelona and said he felt prepared to get out on track. He revealed that he had spent time on the simulator at the team's facility in Charlotte, learning the circuit layout and the procedures required for the session.

He had also been working closely with the team at Silverstone and trackside during recent race weekends, studying how the operation functions so he could get up to speed as quickly as possible once on circuit. Herta also outlined his goals for the weekend. Herta said his priority was to deliver a clean session and help the team gather the data it needs, while also getting more comfortable with a Formula 1 car.

The former IndyCar star acknowledged it would be a busy weekend, given that he is simultaneously competing in the Formula 2 support series, but described the pressure as a privilege rather than a burden — and said he was looking forward to every part of it.

Every Formula 1 team fields two race drivers who compete at every round of the calendar, but team rosters extend well beyond those two seats. Each outfit also carries reserve and simulator drivers — personnel who serve as replacements in the event that a race driver is unavailable due to injury, illness, or a sporting penalty.

Reserve roles are typically filled by young drivers on the rise, experienced hands looking to stay connected to the sport, or those who find themselves without a race seat. The following is the full list of confirmed reserve drivers across the 2026 Formula 1 grid: