Colton Herta gets another Cadillac FP1 run at Interlagos as Bottas's 2027 seat is debated

Cadillac will hand Colton Herta another Friday practice outing at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix this week as the American tries to collect the last superlicence point he needs to race in Formula 1. Herta takes Sergio Perez's car for FP1 at Interlagos, and the move has sharpened talk about Valtteri Bottas's future, even as team boss Dan Towriss says the Finn can still be in the car next year.

One point short

Herta needs 40 FIA superlicence points to be eligible to race. He was believed to have reached that total in Mexico, but Autosport reported that confusion over the counting of his earlier IndyCar results left him one point short.

A Friday practice session is worth a single point, provided the driver completes at least 100 kilometres. He has fallen short before: at Monza, his car broke down before he reached the distance. At Interlagos, 24 laps of the 4.309-kilometre circuit covers the requirement.

Brazil will be his sixth Friday session of the season, after Barcelona, Budapest, Monza, Austin and Mexico City. Teams only need to run a rookie in four practice sessions a year, so the extra runs underline how much Cadillac wants Herta's licence sorted.

Cadillac's options for 2027

Getting Herta eligible gives Cadillac room to choose. It could keep Bottas alongside Perez, who has a contract extension through 2029, or promote Herta for his F1 debut.

Bottas has had a difficult year. According to Formula1.com, he has failed to finish 10 of the 19 races so far, and he crashed heavily in Mexico City after a failure at the front-left corner of his car. Cadillac says it has put measures in place to prevent a repeat.

Towriss had earlier questioned some of Bottas's performances, but he struck a more supportive tone this week. Speaking to RACER, he said there is "absolutely" a scenario in which Bottas keeps his seat and added that the team was not rushing a decision. He praised the Finn as a professional who has done everything asked of him, while noting he wants to see how Bottas handles pressure. Bottas is under contract for next season, but the deal does not prevent Cadillac from replacing him.

A busy weekend in Brazil

Cadillac is not the only team with a line-up story at Interlagos. Ferrari arrive after a tense Mexico City race, and Mercedes, with Kimi Antonelli already crowned drivers' champion, can wrap up the constructors' title. Early forecasts point to a chance of rain on Sunday, which could make the 71-lap race unpredictable.

For Herta, though, Friday is about the basics: stay out of trouble, rack up the kilometres and finally bank the point that would make him eligible for a race seat.

When to watch in Malaysia

FP1 runs from 3.30pm to 4.30pm GMT on Friday 6 November, which is 11.30pm to 12.30am in Malaysia. Qualifying is on Saturday 7 November at 6pm GMT, or 2am MYT on Sunday, and the race starts at 1am MYT on Monday 9 November.

Key takeaways

• Colton Herta drives Sergio Perez's Cadillac in FP1 at Interlagos on Friday 6 November.
• He needs one more superlicence point after confusion over his IndyCar results and a Monza breakdown.
• Completing 100km, about 24 laps of Interlagos, earns the point.
• Cadillac boss Dan Towriss says Valtteri Bottas can still keep his seat for 2027.
• Bottas has not finished 10 of 19 races in 2026, including a big Mexico City crash caused by a failure.

FAQ

Why is Colton Herta driving in FP1 in Brazil? He needs one more superlicence point to be eligible to race in F1. Completing at least 100km in a Friday practice session earns one point.

Is Valtteri Bottas leaving Cadillac? No decision has been made. Bottas is under contract for 2027, and Dan Towriss says there is a clear path for him to stay, although the team keeps its options open.

What time is FP1 in Malaysia? FP1 at Interlagos starts at 11.30pm MYT on Friday 6 November and runs for one hour.

Sources: Autosport, RACER, Formula1.com, Motorsport.com, ESPN