Colton Herta will return to drive the Cadillac in Monza.

      At the upcoming Italian Grand Prix, Colton Herta will return to the wheel of the Cadillac team. In the first free practice session, the American driver will replace Sergio Perez. This will be Herta's third participation in a practice session this season after Barcelona and Hungary.

      Colton Herta: "For me, this is a great opportunity to better understand the various characteristics of the MAC-26. In Barcelona and Budapest, I drove the car on high downforce tracks, while in Monza we will face a completely different challenge.

      With settings to reduce drag on the straights, the car will slide more, so precision on braking and careful attacks on the curbs in the chicanes are especially important. I am very excited about the opportunity to help the team this race weekend and contribute to the further development of the car at one of the most iconic tracks in motorsport."

      Sergio Perez: "It's always nice to return to Monza. This track has a unique atmosphere and a huge history, and I really enjoy it here. Over the years of my career, I have achieved good results in Monza both in Formula 1 and in the junior series, so every time I return here it becomes special.

      In the Netherlands, we had a good race, and if it weren't for the virtual safety car being deployed at an inconvenient time for us, the result could have been even better. I can't wait to hit the track again and see what else we can learn in our battle with our closest rivals this weekend.

      We know that the characteristics of Monza will test the aspects of our car that are currently not its strong points. So it will be interesting to see how we perform and what conclusions we can draw."

      Valtteri Bottas: "I have shown good results in Monza, so I am looking forward to the opportunity to hit the track again. It's a pity that in Zandvoort I had to retire just ten laps before the finish, but as a team, we learned important lessons from that experience and want to apply them here at the 'Temple of Speed.'

      Racing in Monza is perceived quite differently due to the huge speeds and serious braking. You feel all of this in the cockpit. Additionally, performing in front of passionate Italian fans is always a real pleasure."

      Marcin Budkowski: "The weekend in Zandvoort was a good start to the second half of our debut season. We showed that we are capable of competing with some more experienced teams from the back of the grid.

      The stage in Monza will likely be a more serious challenge for us. This will be our first race at this track, and the focus on maximum speed does not play to the strengths of our current car. Therefore, we need to realistically assess the task and focus on having a clean weekend.

      Our main goal is to make the most effective use of the car's capabilities, learn from every lap, and apply the knowledge gained to accelerate its development. The whole team will do everything possible to provide Sergio and Valtteri with reliable cars. I am also looking forward to Colton's first practice and his assessment of the specifics of the Monza track."