Mick Schumacher might have simply signed to drive the Honda No. 47 for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing in subsequent season’s IndyCar Sequence, however he’s already really enthusiastic about what lies forward as he transitions to the American manner of racing.
The Swiss-born German climbed the ladder within the single-seater system feeder sequence – successful championships in Method 3 and Method 2 – on his strategy to Method 1, however as soon as there he discovered himself caught with equipment limitations that largely outline expectations within the pinnacle of motorsport. Driving for Haas F1 Group in 2021 and 2022, Schumacher as a rule discovered himself behind the sector, managing simply two points-paying finishes.
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Now in IndyCar, whereas there are nonetheless groups that stand out over the course of a season, the character of the racing is totally totally different. Schumacher is trying ahead to having extra alternatives behind the wheel but in addition to rising to the problem.
“It’s nice. I feel it’s the way in which it must be. I feel it’s nice that you’ve got so many alternative potential winners. It’s all the way down to you to essentially dig deep and attempt to get every thing out of your self. Yeah, I’m very enthusiastic about it, and I feel there’s tons to stay up for,” he mentioned in a digital press convention.
“I feel it jogs my memory a bit little bit of the nice outdated karting days,” he added about IndyCar racing. “I feel it’s fairly much like how WEC racing was. There’s a number of side-by-side and perhaps a bit contact right here and there. From what I perceive, the vehicles are fairly strong, as effectively, in terms of side-by-side motion, and I’ve talked to a few different drivers they usually actually benefit from the racing aspect of issues.
“I feel for me, it was actually nearly moving into my very own automobile and doing that, feeling that, and having the ability to take the alternatives which are given to me. Due to this fact, yeah, I’m simply purely excited for the good racing that there will likely be and the enjoyable it would convey.”
Schumacher’s affirmation to race full-time in IndyCar in 2026 got here round 40 days after he acquired his first style of an IndyCar with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing across the 2.4-mile, 14-turn highway course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He left IMS saying he was “very open” to a future in IndyCar racing, though he wanted a while to let the expertise sink in.
“Effectively, I feel that finally for me, it was simply attention-grabbing to discover that single-seater route once more and type of be extra settled in it,” he mentioned concerning the decision-making course of that led him to decide to all 17 IndyCar rounds in 2026 with RLL.
“Clearly to me, IndyCar was the most suitable choice. I simply needed to verify to myself and to everyone round me that that is one thing I may see myself doing long-term. Due to this fact, I feel the decision-making course of was fairly easy. It was simply attempting to determine how dedicated I’d be, and clearly I wouldn’t be right here if I weren’t one hundred pc dedicated.”
Schumacher isn’t afraid of oval racing
Mick Schumacher, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing
Picture by: Penske Leisure
Six of the 17 races on the 2026 IndyCar schedule will happen on ovals, the primary coming early within the season with the second spherical at Phoenix Raceway on March 7, earlier than heading to the crown jewel: the Indianapolis 500 in Could. Regardless of the added danger of oval racing — particularly on a superspeedway like Indianapolis Motor Speedway — one thing that usually makes European drivers assume twice about IndyCar, Schumacher was clear about his method.
“Yeah, in fact it’s one thing that I’ve been fascinated with. However however, I feel motorsport as an entire is harmful, so I don’t actually see why that one factor must be extra harmful than anything,” he mentioned.
“Clearly there have been a number of issues, and Jay (Frye, RLL president and former IndyCar president) has been an enormous a part of making oval racing, or simply racing in IndyCar generally, safer. We’ve had a number of conversations about that, they usually’ve all been optimistic to my ears.
“That’s why I finally took the choice. After all it’s not one thing to take flippantly. I don’t take it flippantly. It’s loopy speeds; it’s tremendous fast. We’re clearly racing laborious, aspect by aspect. However I settle for the chance for the enjoyment of the racing.”
Moreover, he was adamant that taking a partial schedule to keep away from ovals was by no means thought of: “To me, it was essential to not do a midway factor however truly go in and do it one hundred pc, and undoubtedly ovals are a part of that. I’ve had good conversations with individuals who had good and unhealthy views on it, and I simply needed to common that out and resolve for myself.”
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