A TEXAN HOMECOMING FOR THE CADILLAC FORMULA 1® TEAM

The Circuit of The Americas (COTA), located on the outskirts of the Texan capital, has been home to the US Grand Prix since 2012. It is the sixth venue to host the race, in a run that began at Sebring in 1959, Riverside, California in 1960, Watkins Glen in Upstate New York between 1961-1980, then on the streets of Phoenix between 1989-1991, and finally the Indianapolis Motor Speedway between 2000-2007. COTA is the first US circuit built as a bespoke F1 venue.

There have been plenty of other F1 races in the USA, from the one-off 1984 race in Dallas, and the 1981-1982 grands prix in the Caesars Palace parking lot, to the rather longer-lived 1976-1983 US Grand Prix West at Long Beach and 1982-1988 Detroit Grand Prix. That tradition lives on with the current Miami and Las Vegas Grands Prix – but it is this race that carries the official title of ‘US Grand Prix’.

The circuit design takes inspiration from the world of F1, with the ultra-high speed sweeping corners in Sector 1 reminiscent of Suzuka’s Esses, and the long corners of the final sector resembling Hockenheim’s Stadium Section. The heavy braking zone at Turn 12 proves a dramatic overtaking opportunity, while the hill at Turn One, far steeper than it appears on TV, presents the drivers on the grid with a solid wall of asphalt in front of them. The US Grand Prix at COTA never lacks drama.

It is a tricky track to get right: the high-speed start and the lower-speed finish to the lap require competing demands on setup, while the soft ground on which the circuit is built, combined with the contrasts of the baking/freezing climate in this part of the world, tends to create a few bumps – and never in the same place two years in a row.

With both cars crossing the finish line in Singapore last time out, the Cadillac team arrives at its home race looking to continue to build on its recent form, and the enormous COTA crowd will get to see American Colton Herta drive the MAC-26 on Friday in the first Free Practice session. Colton has previously driven the car during FP1 sessions in Barcelona, Budapest and at Monza, Italy, and will take over for Checo Pérez for the second of two mandatory sessions the Mexican driver is required to cede to a rookie.

“Bringing the Cadillac Formula 1 Team to the Circuit of The Americas for our second home race of the season is a huge moment for everyone across our facilities in Indianapolis, Silverstone, and Charlotte,” says Team Principal Marcin Budkowski. “Following a solid weekend in Singapore, where both cars finished after a tough fight, coming to America gives the whole team a boost. COTA is a fantastic facility and challenge – the high-speed sweeping section in Sector 1 and the tight, low-speed turns at the end of the lap are a tricky for car setup, and the bumps always add an extra dimension. We are looking forward to having Colton back in the car for FP1 on Friday, and we also plan to bring some small floor and cooling upgrades for evaluation. Colton knows this circuit very well from his IndyCar career, so his feedback will be valuable as we establish our baseline for the weekend.”

The Cadillac Formula 1® Team’s drivers are incredibly experienced at the Circuit of The Americas. Sergio Pérez competed at the inaugural race in 2012, and has contested 12 US Grands Prix. He’s scored points on ten occasions, with a podium in 2021. Valtteri Bottas made his COTA debut in 2013, and scored points on his first attempt. He has contested the US Grand Prix 11 times, with a memorable race in 2019, winning from pole position.

Valtteri is not the team’s only winner at the Circuit of The Americas: Colton Herta took the first of his nine IndyCar victories on this track, winning the 2019 IndyCar Classic. Aged just 18 years and 359 days, Colton was not only a rookie winner, but the youngest driver in IndyCar history to stand on the top step.

Checo Pérez:

“Austin is always one of my favorite weekends of the season, but coming here this year as a Cadillac Formula 1 driver makes it even more meaningful. The atmosphere at COTA is incredible, and with so many American and Mexican fans in the grandstands, it really feels like another home race for me. It’s a very demanding track – Turn 1 is iconic with the steep climb into a wide apex, and Sector 1 is super fast and physical. I’ll be supporting Colton during FP1 on Friday, taking on board his feedback, then the focus for us will be dialing in the balance quickly in FP2 and putting ourselves in position to fight hard on Sunday.”

Valtteri Bottas:

“COTA is a circuit I always look forward to returning to. I have great memories here, especially winning from pole position back in 2019 after a tough battle. It’s a track that rewards confidence because Sector 1 is so high-speed and flowing, but you also need strong traction out of the slow corners in the final sector. The surface and bumps are always a talking point, so getting the car running in a good window with balance and set up early in practice will be key. We showed decent resilience and in Singapore to get both cars across the line, and the goal this weekend is to build on that progress at our home race.”

Colton Herta:

“Driving the MAC-26 in front of the American fans at COTA is going to be special. I have great memories at this track – winning my first IndyCar race here back in 2019 was a huge moment in my career, so stepping into an F1 car on this layout feels like coming full circle. I’ve built up a good rhythm with the team through my previous FP1 runs in Barcelona, Budapest, and Monza, so my goal for Friday morning is straightforward: execute the test program cleanly, help the engineers gather good data on the setup, and hand the car back to Checo with some useful feedback to support the team for the rest of the weekend.”

About Cadillac Formula 1^® Team

The Cadillac Formula 1^® Team is a specialist motor racing team competing in the FIA Formula 1^® World Championship. Backed by TWG Motorsports and General Motors, the team has operations in Indianapolis, Indiana (USA); Charlotte, North Carolina (USA); and Silverstone, Northamptonshire (UK). With the confidence to dream big and the passion to deliver, the Cadillac Formula 1^® Team is building everything from the ground up – from high-performance race cars to an inclusive, values-driven culture. The team made its Formula 1^® debut in 2026.