For Mick Schumacher, the IndyCar journey is slowly however certainly getting critical. In preparation for his first full season within the collection, the rookie from Germany has now accomplished two street course exams and one oval take a look at. Throughout the two-day street course take a look at in Sebring on Monday and Tuesday this week, Schumacher had the prospect to check alongside many of the discipline for the primary time.
4 months have handed since Schumacher’s IndyCar take a look at debut in October of final 12 months on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway street course, and it has been nearly three months since he was confirmed as one of many full-time drivers for 2026 at Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (RLL). What has shocked Schumacher most concerning the IndyCar setting to this point?
Mick Schumacher Oval Check at Homestead-Miami Speedway
Picture by: Penske Leisure
“I actually like the best way persons are right here, working-wise. It is very uncooked,” Schumacher stated in an unique interview on the observe throughout this week’s Sebring take a look at. “It feels a bit old-school, if you would like, however I like that form of feeling. There is a very nice aptitude to it. So, I am actually having fun with it. I imply, working with my group of fellows and the entire group has been actually good to this point.”
It was exactly this good working relationship at RLL that Schumacher seen even earlier than he had signed his contract for 2026. “The IMS street course has been actually good,” he recalled his first IndyCar take a look at on October 13, 2025.
“We weren’t even signed in, so they might have been far more closed up, however they had been actually open and I actually loved that. It was the primary day the place I felt like, hey, we’re actually setting off to benefit from the 12 months, which is actually good.”
“So, I feel it’ll solely get higher from right here”. With that, Schumacher is looking forward to the opening race of the 2026 season: the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on March 1: “St. Pete is a superb place to try this and begin off with all the things and begin the season on the correct foot.”
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Street programs or ovals: Which does Schumacher want?
When requested whether or not he’s extra wanting ahead to the street course races – a self-discipline he’s conversant in in precept from numerous different racing collection – or the oval races – a self-discipline that’s utterly new to him – Schumacher initially responded with a comparability.
“One factor that I’ve to say right here, I am very used to a observe to have the identical tarmac all through the entire course,” he stated. Amongst different collection, not solely in System 1, the place Schumacher was a full-time driver for Haas in 2021 and 2022, the subject of observe floor is a vital one. “It is very related grip from nook to nook, like the one change would be the wind, perhaps.”
What applies to System 1 additionally applies to the World Endurance Championship (WEC), the place Schumacher was a full-time driver for Alpine in 2024 and 2025. Apart from the 24 Hours of Le Mans, all races on the WEC calendar happen on present or former System 1 tracks.
These are tracks which have the very best FIA classification (Grade 1). It’s exactly this highest attainable classification that could be a prerequisite for a race observe to be allowed to host a System 1 race. The Sebring Worldwide Raceway in contrast, the place IndyCar groups had been testing on Monday and Tuesday this week, is assessed as ‘Grade 2’ by the FIA.
That is partly on account of security requirements, akin to the dimensions of the run-off areas. However the observe floor at Sebring shouldn’t be precisely world-class both. “Right here, as a result of we’ve patch after patch, each nook is completely different,” Schumacher stated, referring to the getting old Sebring floor, which has been renewed right here and there over time.
“I am nonetheless getting used to what’s truly a automotive doing and what’s a observe doing for me. And that is one thing that I’ve to get acquainted with right here, particularly. And I do not assume it’ll be very completely different on different street programs that we’ll. IMS, the street course there, was a bit higher in that sense. It simply appeared extra constant all through the entire lap.”
“What am I wanting most ahead to?” Schumacher responded to the query about his desire for street programs or ovals. “I do not actually have a desire. I feel all the things’s fairly enjoyable and I am inquisitive about all three stations that we’ll.”
By three varieties, the IndyCar rookie means everlasting street programs, non permanent avenue circuits, and, final however not least, ovals. There are six races on every of the three observe varieties on the 2026 IndyCar schedule.
“Clearly, Oval goes to be very new for me. So there will likely be hopefully a really steep studying curve and loads of issues that I am going to have to simply be taught new about racing, merely. You realize, there’s loads of overtaking alternatives which will come up and you do not truly need to take them as a result of it is not the correct second to take them. So once more, there’s issues there that I have to be taught,” he stated.
Loads of assist at RLL
Mick Schumacher throughout Sebring take a look at
Picture by: Michael L. Levitt/Lumen through Getty Pictures
To assist Schumacher settle into oval racing as easily as attainable, RLL signed eight-time IndyCar race winner Ryan Briscoe as a driver coach just a few weeks in the past. Though he will likely be available to supply recommendation to all three drivers on the group, his main focus will likely be on the rookie.
Schumacher’s teammates Louis Foster and Graham Rahal have expertise from one full IndyCar season (Foster) and at least 19 IndyCar seasons (Rahal), respectively.
“I’ve Graham, I’ve Louis, however I even have Ryan there to essentially assist me try this,” Schumacher stated. “And clearly the entire group behind me who will assist me in that. So, yeah, I assume general, I am simply very excited to get going and have the season begin correctly.”
Earlier than the primary of the 18 races of the season, Mick Schumacher has one final essential pre-season take a look at on the agenda, particularly within the oval self-discipline. On Tuesday and Wednesday of subsequent week (February 17/18), the IndyCar groups will likely be testing on the one-mile oval in Phoenix, Arizona.
In distinction to his Homestead take a look at on February 4, the place he was alone on observe, Schumacher will likely be testing alongside the remainder of the competitors on the Phoenix take a look at, which can give him his first style of “soiled air” on an oval observe.
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