Former Formula 1 driver Mick Schumacher navigates the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course during the October driver development testing. (Photo: Anthony Sylvia | The Podium Finish)
INDIANAPOLIS — Mick Schumacher’s transition into the NTT IndyCar Series represents more than a change of scenery — it is a new chapter in which he hopes to grow and return to his competitive nature.
Speaking during the preseason IndyCar media session, Schumacher expressed eagerness to begin testing ahead of the season opener on the streets of St. Petersburg, noting his excitement to get back behind the wheel.
“Yeah, I’m very excited about racing,” Schumacher said. “Testing starts the season in a proper way, so I’m really looking forward to getting underway and taking it from there.”
The young German driver arrives in IndyCar following stints in Formula 1 from 2021 to 2022 driving for Team Haas and serving as a reserve driver in 2023 for both Petronas Mercedes AMG and McLaren. He also raced one season in the World Endurance Championship (WEC) for Alpine where he finished on the podium three times in his 16 starts.
Schumacher brings international experience but also faces a steep learning curve. He described the transition as largely centered around adapting to new terminology, metrics and racing styles, crediting his team and engineering staff for the seamless transition.
“The adjustment has been fine,” Schumacher said. “It’s really just about putting the dots together. I think it’s mostly vocabulary at the moment, where it’s been very different. Metrics have been quite different, as well. Instead of talking about meters we’re talking about feet or yards or stuff like that. It’s quite tough for me at the moment. We’re in a transition where I’m trying to understand everything and putting everything together. The team has been great in helping me doing those things and helping me along the way.”
One of the biggest challenges ahead for Schumacher is oval racing — a new discipline compared to his previous career in Formula 1 and WEC. From understanding racing lines to differences in aerodynamic handling in traffic, he acknowledged the steep learning curve but stressed his curiosity and willingness to adapt.
“Oval racing is going to be the biggest challenge,” Schumacher said. “The challenges of it being so different and trying to understand what the high lines are, what the low lines are doing, what we can do in terms of aero disruptions from the front or the back. That’s all stuff that is very new to me.”
Despite the global spotlight surrounding events like the Indianapolis 500, Schumacher stressed that he approaches each race the same, echoing a mindset shaped during his time competing in endurance racing.
“Every race in a season is important,” Schumacher said. “We approach it as another weekend. It’s so much passion that I feel when I’m talking to the guys in the team. Ultimately, how much they love racing is what brought me over here.”
Mick Schumacher prepares for his run during the IndyCar test at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course on October 13, 2025. (Photo: Anthony Sylvia | The Podium Finish)
Now entering a new phase of his career, Schumacher believes maturity and experience will shape his approach to the IndyCar transition. Unlike previous seasons in Formula 1, he says he has a clearer understanding of his goals and expectations.
“I feel like I’m in a much more grown-up place,” Schumacher said. “I’m going into the season knowing much more of what I want and how I want things to be.”
As preseason testing concluded at Sebring International Raceway this week and the countdown to St. Petersburg is nearing two weeks away, Schumacher remains focused on building chemistry with the No. 47 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing team and gaining confidence in a new racing environment. While the path ahead includes new challenges — from ovals to spotters and American racing culture — his outlook is grounded in steady progress and long-term growth.
“I think we’re all in the same boat in understanding that we have to work together to be up front,” he said. “That’s where we want to be consistently.”
