Schumi son quite frankly
Before racing debut: Mick Schumacher is making people sit up and take notice
Updated on February 26, 2026 – 3:29 p.mReading time: 2 minutes
The 2026 IndyCar season begins at the beginning of March. Also there: Mick Schumacher – who now speaks out in clear words.
Mick Schumacher has dampened high expectations for his debut in the IndyCar Series. “I probably need a little longer,” said the 26-year-old in an interview with Sky when asked how he got into the racing series and the car, which is very different from Formula 1 cars. He is still “new” and is still learning how to use the car and is also just getting familiar with the routes.
Schumacher has been driving for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing since this season. A comeback in Formula 1 still didn’t work out after he left Haas in 2022 after two years. A job as a test and reserve driver at Mercedes in 2024 did not lead to further Grands Prix. In 2024 and 2025, Schumacher drove in the Endurance World Championship for Alpine.
“The biggest change will definitely be the rolling start,” said the former Formula 1 driver. In the IndyCar series, race starts and restarts are not carried out while standing, as in the “premier class”, but by accelerating behind the pace car. “The fact that we don’t have power steering” is also new for him. Driving the car is therefore “relatively hard, very physical”. He has to be prepared “that you can’t make a mistake even under the greatest pressure and greatest effort.” Nevertheless, Schumacher admitted: “The anticipation is huge.”
At the beginning of February, the son of Formula 1 icon Michael Schumacher completed 97 laps at the Homestead-Miami Speedway on Wednesday and was driving a completely black Honda with starting number 47. He had a lot of “fun,” as he revealed in a short video on the social media account of his team Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing.
Schumacher also received support at the RRL private test from former IndyCar driver Ryan Briscoe, who was hired as a driver coach just a few days earlier and gave the German important tips. In addition to the 26-year-old, the team will also field drivers Graham Rahal (USA) and Louis Foster (England) in the coming season. The first race will take place on March 1st on the street circuit in St. Petersburg, Florida.
