Oct 21 (Reuters) - American nine-times IndyCar race winner Colton Herta will compete in next year's Formula Two championship with Hitech while continuing as a test driver for Formula One debutants Cadillac, the General Motors ( GM )-backed outfit said on Tuesday.

Cadillac confirmed Herta in September as their Formula One test driver, with his move to Formula Two marking a return to European single-seater racing as he seeks the super-licence points required to compete in Formula One.

"This is an amazing opportunity to develop my skills in European racing and to measure myself against some of the best young drivers in the world," Herta said in a team statement.

"Racing on the same weekends as Formula One will give me first-hand experience of that environment and help me grow as part of the Cadillac F1 family."

Herta, 25, widely regarded as one of the United States' most accomplished young drivers, became the youngest winner in IndyCar history in 2019.

He raced in junior European series earlier in his career, including British F4, British F3 and Euroformula Open, before establishing himself as a front-runner in IndyCar with Andretti Global.

Cadillac, who will enter Formula One in 2026 with drivers Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez, said Herta's F2 programme with Hitech would allow close integration with the F1 team through simulator and trackside duties.

"Colton has already shown exceptional talent and professionalism throughout his career," said Cadillac F1 Team CEO Dan Towriss.

"Competing in F2 will strengthen his racecraft in the European environment and allow greater integration with our team."

Hitech are one of Formula Two's leading teams and have helped develop several current Formula One drivers.