Herta's chances with Cadillac diminish while Bottas worries about Aston's progress.

      Colton Herta will return to Cadillac’s Formula 1 car at Hungary, but his aspirations for a full-time seat in 2027 are increasingly uncertain. The 26-year-old American will take over for Valtteri Bottas in FP1 at the Hungaroring, six weeks after driving Sergio Perez’s car in Barcelona.

      "It’s very exciting to have another opportunity in FP1," Herta commented. "This is a great chance to gain experience, but my main goal is to assist the team with development. It’s been six weeks since I was last in the car, and a lot has changed since then."

      "My role is to support the drivers in achieving the best possible result at the Hungarian GP and also to give feedback that aids the team's long-term development. Personally, I aim to establish a better foundation for future sessions."

      Herta joined Cadillac following a successful career in IndyCar and was seen as ready for a future race seat in Formula 1. However, he still falls short of the 40 superlicence points needed to compete in the series. Currently, Herta has 34 points and must finish at least eighth in the Formula 2 championship to obtain the remaining six. With eight weekends completed, he is currently in 16th place, putting his 2027 promotion aspirations under considerable strain.

      This situation could bolster Bottas’ position, especially since the Finnish driver recently dismissed speculation about Herta potentially replacing him as "complete bullsh*t." Bottas’ immediate focus, however, is not on his own future with Cadillac but on Aston Martin’s significant upgrade package making its debut in Hungary.

      "There are many rumors," he mentioned. "One such rumor I’ve heard is that the only component left on the car is the front suspension, with everything else being new."

      "We'll see how it plays out. I'm quite curious." Bottas expressed concerns that the overhaul led by Adrian Newey could potentially leave Cadillac at the very back of the grid. "At the same time, I’m a bit anxious," he confessed. "If they make a substantial leap forward, we could find ourselves at the back."