Cadillac boss says Herta on verge of F1 Super Licence - but who will be America’s next grand prix star?

Cadillac Formula 1 team principal Marcin Budkowski has said “having an American driver in American team is a great story”, as well as that its Californian test driver Colton Herta is “one [Super Licence] point” away from being eligible for the world championship after taking part in Free Practice 1 at the United States Grand Prix.

It comes as F1’s popularity in America has hit fever pitch, currently having three races in Austin, Las Vegas and Miami. However, for a car-mad country, the United States has had a curious lack of competitive grand prix drivers.

50 years after its last world champion in Mario Andretti, we look at who could finally be the USA’s next F1 hero.

Colton Herta - Cadillac F1 test driver

Colton Herta is one of America’s top single-seater talents, but the 26-year-old has struggled since making the switch to Europe.

Aged just 18, the Californian won on just second IndyCar start, and established himself as one of the series’s brightest stars, finishing second in the championship in 2024 to the dominant Alex Palou.

However, less Super Licence points (needed to qualify for F1) are handed out for IndyCar success, so Herta - under the guidance of the Cadillac team - moved to F2 for 2026 while carrying out ‘test driver’ duties for the American team.

The season has been a disaster though, Herta scoring a best finish of fifth in Spain but spending most of the year at the back.

However, with his Free Practice appearances for Cadillac helping him gain Super Licence points throughout 2026, he’s now on the verge of being able to race in F1 next year.

“Obviously, having an American driver in an American team is a great story,” said his team boss Marcin Budkowski.

“It needs to be the right time and the right driver, but we're working on that. We're working that with Colton. There are some really exciting American talents coming up through the ranks as well.

Jak Crawford

The Aston Martin reserve driver is another American ready to step in for his F1 team, and he has the Super Licence points required too.

The 21-year-old from North Carolina won six F2 races across three seasons, finishing runner-up in last year’s championship.

He’s been an Aston reserve for nearly two years now - will an opportunity in F1 present itself, or will he look elsewhere in the racing world?

Ugo Ugochukwu - America’s rising star

Ugo Ugochukwu is the rapid New Yorker ripping up the junior ranks.

Aged 19, he’s just won the FIA Formula 3 championship, having previously triumphed in the Euro 4 championship in 2023 and the prestigious Macau Grand Prix the year after.

Previously a McLaren Junior, he’s expected to step into F2 next year with Campos.

Would he be able to squeeze into an F1 car? At 6ft 4in, he’d be the tallest driver on the grid, besting current tallest Ollie Bearman at 6ft 2in.

Sebastian Wheldon

Sebastian Wheldon is the next US driver coming up behind Ugochukwu, and he has serious racing pedigree.

The son of late IndyCar legend Dan Wheldon, who won the Indy Racing League title as well as two Indianapolis 500s, he's looked after by the same TWG ownership group that presides over Cadillac and Colton Herta.

The American junior impressed on his European single-seater debut, finishing third with six race wins in last year’s Italian F4 championship.

He’ll move up to FIA Formula 3, two levels below F1, with the Trident team next year.

Kyle Kirkwood

This rapid Floridian is one of the world’s fastest single-seater racers - and he competes for Andretti in IndyCar, also run by Cadillac owners TWG.

Having been so successful in IndyCar, winning seven races in total as well as finishing second in last year’s series, the 28-year-old could be a dark horse Cadillac candidate were it not to go with Colton Herta.