Which drivers will we need to watch in 2026?

Colton Herta, the Indian in the city

After nine victories, nineteen podium finishes and eight seasons in IndyCarAt 25, Colton Herta decided to turn the page. Far from the United States and his national league, the American took on a major challenge in 2026. He signed with Formula 2 With Hitech, Bryan Herta's son maintains hopes of joining Cadillac in F1 for the 2027 season. For the first time, the youngest winner in IndyCar history in 2019 tested a Formula 2 car on December 10 in Abu Dhabi to prepare for his new life.

The goal this season? To prove himself. While his second-place finish in IndyCar in 2024 initially made him a natural contender for a Formula 1 seat as early as 2026, with 31 Super Licence points earned, his seventh-place finish in 2025 (4 Super Licence points) seems to have confirmed that the jump between the two categories wouldn't be as easy as expected. Having failed to accumulate enough points (40) to secure a full-time driver position, he will instead take on a test role with Cadillac in 2026.

In concrete terms, failing to win the championship against much more seasoned contenders such as Alex Dunne, Dino Beganovic, or Rafael Câmara, Colton Herta will have to show himself capable of winning races in the heart of a field much more competitive than last year.

At the forefront of a dynasty poised to expand, Colton Herta is indeed the symbol of a Cadillac academy that aims to allow many American drivers to one day glimpse Formula 1. Expected to deliver, the most experienced rookie on the grid hopes to live the European dream alongside Hitech.

Freddie Slater, continuing on the royal road

Crowned FRECA champion in 2025 after a near-perfect season, Freddie Slater has established himself as one of the greatest talents of his generation. At just 17 years old, the Briton has yet to lose a single championship and intends to maintain this status.

Especially since a question arises: what if, in the shadows, while rookies have recently taken over in Formula 1, the true future talent of car Was it him? Italian F4 champion in 2024, absolute record holder in terms of the number of points scored, the native of Stratford-upon-Avon continues to set new benchmarks in the history of the championships in which he competes, leaving his competitors with very few crumbs most of the time.

This year the young driver will be linked to Trident in Formula 3, the team with which Gabriel Bortoleto, Leonardo Fornaroli, and Rafael Câmara have each won the title in the last three seasons. Teammate of Matteo de Palo in the 2026 season, the Briton will be reunited with the man he outshone in FRECA, notably through some impressive and audacious overtaking maneuvers, suggesting greater long-term potential.

The only anomaly in his record is that no F1 academy has yet set its sights on his talent. Is his main objective for 2026, with the aim of moving up to Formula 1 within a few seasons? Having already made two guest appearances in F3, one of which saw him achieve a podium finish even before the start of the FRECA season last year, there's no doubt that Freddie Slater will be eagerly awaited on the grid from March onwards for the first race scheduled for the 8th in Melbourne.

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