Mick Schumacher receives post-F1 boost in ‘so far, so good’ IndyCar test

Mick Schumacher, former Formula 1 driver and son of the legendary Michael Schumacher, just undertook his first laps of testing behind the wheel of an IndyCar as he pursues an open-wheel future after leaving F1.

The German driver said the test was “so far, so good” as he hopped behind the wheel of a Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda.

Mick Schumacher IndyCar test: “So far, so good”

Mick Schumacher is looking to make his return to the open-wheel cockpit — but with Formula 1 looking to be out of the question, the Swiss-born German driver has instead dipped a toe into the world of IndyCar.

“IndyCar comes the closest to what I can still race,” Schumacher told IndyCar.com during a midday break in Monday’s test. “I can’t go back to [Formula 2] because I won a championship. IndyCar might be a good option.

“Obviously, my target the past couple of years has been to go back to Formula 1, but that option hasn’t quite opened up this year or the years previous to that.

“So at some point I want to race again in single-seaters, and therefore [this] option is a good one.”

Schumacher arrived in Indianapolis on Friday evening, spending the weekend with the Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing team before heading out to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course on Monday as part of the sport’s post-season testing.

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Mick Schumacher joined a handful of IndyCar veterans — former F1 driver Alexander Rossi alongside Christian Rasmussen — and lower-ladder Indy NXT drivers (Caio Collet, Dennis Hauger, Lochie Hughes, James Roe) during October’s test on the 14-turn, 2.439-mile IMS road course.

It was a fitting location for the Schumacher surname to return, given Michael Schumacher won five races and four pole positions at the US Grand Prix between 2000 and 2006; the exact nature of IMS’ road course has changed since then, but it’s almost certain many onlookers had fond memories of seeing the seven-time champion race.

At the moment, he has no plans to test on an oval circuit, though that isn’t uncommon in IndyCar. Drivers are not required to participate in the full 17-race calendar, and many incoming talents from Europe opt for an abbreviated road-and-street-circuit program for their first year in the sport.

“For sure, I’m interested to try it and see what it’s all about,” he said of oval circuits, before noting that if he were to commit to the sport in the future, he’d like to do so by contesting every race.

IndyCar, he said, “is a great championship, 17 races. I’m still young, so I do want to race as much as I can, and I think the people here really live motorsports.

“I also like the mentality of the driver being the main part of the team and driving the team forward.”

However, Schumacher hasn’t made any firm plans as to where he intends to commit for 2026.

“It’s a decision that lies with both sides,” he told IndyCar.com, “and I think obviously in this moment, I guess it’s mostly on my end because I have to figure out if I want to do [IndyCar] or not.

“We all have a couple of days and weeks to think about it and see what opportunities there are for the future.

“But so far, so good.”

Mick Schumacher actively competed in Formula 1 between 2021 and 2022, when he raced for the Haas team, during which time he secured a best finish of sixth at the 2022 Austrian Grand Prix. Team and driver opted to part ways following the conclusion of the 2022 season.

Since then, Schumacher has served as reserve driver for McLaren and Mercedes in Formula 1, while also competing in the FIA World Endurance Championship with the Alpine Endurance Team. However, as he told IndyCar, he’s keen on driving single seaters.

“I want to enjoy racing, and to do that I want to find where I feel most at home,” he explained. “I’m not saying Europe or WEC or any of those other championships aren’t that, but I feel maybe racing [single-seaters] is what I always wanted to do.”

It may be what Mick Schumacher wants to do, but his uncle Ralf isn’t quite convinced that a move to the American series would be a good one.

“To be honest, I haven’t spoken to him myself, but he was apparently quoted as saying that his heart is burning for motorsport and single-seater cars, and that’s why he’s so keen to try it out” Ralf told Sky Deutschland earlier this month.

“I don’t really understand that, because I believe he’s in great hands where he is now and can have a great future.

“It’s not so easy for people from IndyCar to make the transition to Formula 1.

“The tests that have taken place so far have not been successful. And if you go over there, it’s a bit like Japan – the standard is still high, so it won’t be that easy to succeed in America.

“And that’s why it’s an additional pressure that perhaps you don’t need to put yourself under.

He also added that he would advise his son David against competing in the series “because it would simply be too dangerous for me.”

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