Herta to Debut at Interlagos in Friday Practice
Colton Herta will drive for Cadillac in the opening practice session of the São Paulo Grand Prix, replacing Sergio Pérez.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Motorsports
Colton Herta will make his Interlagos debut during Friday's opening practice session at the São Paulo Grand Prix, November 6 to 8. The appearance follows Valtteri Bottas's retirement from the Mexican Grand Prix after a suspension failure.
Why it matters
The São Paulo Grand Prix is Round 20 of the World Championship and concludes the Americas triple-header. Cadillac is evaluating Herta ahead of its second Formula 1 campaign.
Interlagos measures 4.309km, and Sergio Pérez, whose seat Herta is taking for Friday practice, has contested 13 Brazilian Grands Prix and scored points on eight of them. The source does not specify how Herta's running will be evaluated beyond the opening session.
The players
Colton Herta
An American racing driver who is taking part in Cadillac's Formula 1 programme during its second season.
Cadillac
The Formula 1 team entering its second campaign, which is evaluating Herta's performance.
The details
Herta has driven Cadillac's MAC-26 at Barcelona, Budapest, Austin and Mexico City, and will take Pérez's place in Friday's opening practice. Cadillac has also put mitigations in place following Bottas's suspension failure in Mexico City.
Timeline
Friday, November 6, 2026: Herta's Interlagos debut in opening practice.
November 6 to 8, 2026: São Paulo Grand Prix weekend at Interlagos.
Season Trajectory
Cadillac is expected to use Herta's feedback from the São Paulo weekend in its 2027 development programme. The outing comes as the team works through its second Formula 1 season and weighs driver options for the future.
Herta's Friday session is a direct test of whether he could be considered as a driver for Cadillac's future line-up. For fantasy and betting followers, the change in the Cadillac entry for this round is the practical consequence to track.
The takeaway
Herta's debut is a concrete check on Cadillac's driver plans, and the feedback from one practice session at Interlagos can inform the team's preparations for its next car.
What happens next
Herta's practice running at Interlagos on Friday, November 6, 2026, is the next confirmed step in the story.
Further reading
For more on the sport's calendar and results, see Motorsports.
