Mick Schumacher acquired his first style of an IndyCar on Monday, driving the No. 75 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda across the 2.4-mile, 14-turn street course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and he was all smiles afterwards.
The 26-year-old accomplished the total testing program and completed an unofficial third among the many seven drivers who took half within the crew check and driver evaluations, behind Indy NXT champion Dennis Hauger (Dale Coyne Racing) and Alexander Rossi (Ed Carpenter Racing).
“It being a single-seater, I believe that’s what sort of attracts me to it,” Schumacher advised a bunch of choose media, together with Motorsport.com, when requested what drew him to fly to the USA and check an IndyCar for the primary time.
“I really like having open wheels. One of many issues my dad all the time mentioned was, ‘The Schumachers are normally sooner if they will see their wheels.’ I type of like that quote. And I believe it’s simply the enchantment of racing 17 occasions a 12 months,” he added, contrasting that with WEC’s eight rounds, the place he at present competes for Alpine.
Studying the lingo and loving the environment
Watch: Mick Schumacher IndyCar check
Driving the Dallara DW12-Honda was the end result of a well-planned course of that started on Friday with a session on Honda’s simulator and continued with a go to to RLL’s store in Zionsville, Indiana.
“They had been nice. It actually appears like a family-owned crew, as a result of you may sense that everyone enjoys what they’re doing and so they’re there as a result of they’re obsessed with motorsport,” he mentioned of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. “That’s one thing I felt straight away strolling into the workshop — everyone is worked up about racing and wanting to have folks strive their vehicles and provides suggestions to allow them to transfer ahead and enhance.”
Having spent his whole profession in Europe, Schumacher additionally confronted a couple of language obstacles when it got here to particular racing phrases. “Like, new tires isn’t new tires — it’s ‘stickers’ right here. The primary time they mentioned it, I used to be like, ‘What’s stickers?’” he mentioned with a smile. “Communication is a bit totally different. Clearly, we’re doing issues in ft and yards. PSI right here will not be so totally different as a result of that’s what we did in F1. Kilos are one thing utterly new to me. A number of issues had been a bit totally different, nevertheless it’s good to work with one other metric system and get to realize it.”
From F1 to IndyCar: key variations
Mick Schumacher, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing
Photograph by: Penske Leisure
Whereas Schumacher found loads of variations behind the wheel of an IndyCar, he was additionally in a position to relate it to earlier expertise. “It feels very very like an F2 automobile — possibly a bit heavier by way of steering,” he defined.
When requested to elaborate on the variations between driving an IndyCar and a Components 1 automobile, which he raced for Haas between 2021 and 2022, Schumacher mentioned: “Clearly I believe it’s all a bit extra — possibly this sounds unhealthy — however a bit extra old-school. In an IndyCar it is extra tough, and F1 might be extra fine-tuned. Aero items are vital and essential. If one little piece doesn’t sit proper, it could have an effect on the entire automobile.
“There’s a special method, with IndyCar being a spec sequence, which has quite a bit to do with retaining prices down. In F1, you probably have more cash, you’ll spend it.
“The procedures are a bit totally different — generally I’d say medical in F1 and really exact — whereas right here it’s possibly a bit extra, yeah, tough, with extra contact to the street. The truth that they don’t actually have a skid was very fascinating to me. It’s simply the bathtub that’s the restrict. So long as you don’t break the bathtub, you’re good to go. There are a few variations which can be very fascinating.
“I believe you may carry stuff from IndyCar to F1, however vice versa there’s additionally quite a bit you may switch from Components 1 into IndyCar to possibly enhance.”
Will Mick pursue a profession in IndyCar?
Mick Schumacher, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing
Photograph by: Penske Leisure
The million-dollar query now could be whether or not Schumacher will flip his first IndyCar check right into a full-time journey when the sequence kicks off its 2026 season on the streets of St. Petersburg on March 1.
“I nonetheless should let every thing sink in a bit, determine it out, and decide down the road. It’s laborious to say how excessive the proportion is. At this time was quite a lot of enjoyable, however I want to investigate a bit extra and see what that may seem like,” he mentioned. “I believe by way of what I’m doing in ‘26, it’s very open. Clearly, the choices are all there. IndyCar is considered one of them, so I actually simply needed to know what it was like so I could make up my thoughts.”
One factor Schumacher made clear is that whether or not he stays in Europe or strikes to America, he’ll decide to a single program and has dominated out combining his present WEC duties with Alpine with a partial IndyCar calendar.
“Clearly if I had been to decide to any championship, I’d do it 100%. Twin applications should not actually on my radar, as I really feel it will take quite a lot of power and be fairly distracting to do each. So if I had been to commit, I’d commit 100% to 1 or the opposite.”
When requested if he has a timeline for his resolution and whether or not he needs to check on an oval first, Schumacher replied: “Clearly sooner or later I need to ensure about my future, so I believe it received’t be too lengthy earlier than I decide. Whether or not that’s going to occur earlier than or after I do an oval check, I don’t know.”
Racing on ovals is usually a decisive issue for European drivers coming to IndyCar, however Schumacher isn’t nervous and plans to embrace the problem if he makes the transfer.
“I believe security is clearly a excessive precedence for everyone. IndyCar has made quite a lot of changes and adjustments to make it safer, and I’m certain they’ll maintain enhancing,” he mentioned. “Sooner or later, although, you may solely make it so secure with the speeds you’re going. However once more, I believe all of the precautions have been taken. I haven’t pushed an oval, so I can’t say greater than that, however for now I haven’t heard something that may scare me off.”
Whether or not it’s ovals, avenue circuits or street programs, Schumacher was clear about what drew him to the IndyCar world.
“I believe the one phrase that caught with me essentially the most was from somebody who works right here in IndyCar — that an important facet of the crew, or of constructing a call, is the driving force on the finish of the day. The truth that they rely so closely on the driving force actually sparked my curiosity and made it fascinating for me to return out and take a look at.”
Pictures from the Indy Street Course check
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Indy Street Course check, in images
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Indy Street Course check, in images
Indy Street Course check, in images
Indy Street Course check, in images
Indy Street Course check, in images
Indy Street Course check, in images
Indy Street Course check, in images
Indy Street Course check, in images
Indy Street Course check, in images
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Indy Street Course check, in images
Indy Street Course check, in images
Indy Street Course check, in images
Indy Street Course check, in images
Indy Street Course check, in images
Indy Street Course check, in images
Indy Street Course check, in images
Indy Street Course check, in images
Indy Street Course check, in images
Indy Street Course check, in images
Indy Street Course check, in images
Indy Street Course check, in images
Indy Street Course check, in images
Indy Street Course check, in images
Indy Street Course check, in images
Indy Street Course check, in images
Indy Street Course check, in images
Indy Street Course check, in images
Indy Street Course check, in images
Indy Street Course check, in images
Indy Street Course check, in images
Indy Street Course check, in images
Indy Street Course check, in images
Indy Street Course check, in images
Indy Street Course check, in images
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