Mick Schumacher Comes From Racing Royalty, But How Will He Fare In IndyCar?

There was some exciting news out of IndyCar this week that Mick Schumacher, the son of Formula 1 legend Michael Schumacher, has signed with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing.

And better yet, he'll take part in the entire 2026 NTT IndyCar Series season.

Schumacher tested RLL back in October, and they must have liked what they saw because they signed the 26-year-old ex-F1 driver to a deal that will see him pilot the No. 47 Honda.

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It sounds like Mick liked what he saw and felt, too.

"I just wanted to see the car and how it feels to drive," Schumacher said, per IndyCar's website. "Ultimately, the decision was about the passion people with the team had and how excited they were. That really showed me the environment I could see myself racing in.

"I just had to confirm to myself and everyone around me that I can see myself doing this long term. The decision making was pretty simple about how committed I would be. I wouldn’t be here if I weren’t 100 percent committed. I’m very excited for it."

It's a big deal having someone with such an iconic racing surname in the IndyCar series, which also features teams bearing iconic names like Andretti, Penske, and Foyt. In addition to his father, Michael Schumacher's uncle, Ralf, was also a six-time Grand Prix winner in F1.

But it takes more than a name to be competitive, and Schumacher should have that. 

Mick Schumacher is bringing his extensive racing background and iconic surname to a really solid RLL lineup for 2026. (Getty Images)

His two years in F1 with Haas were not stellar, only scoring 12 points over both seasons. In 2021, he was given a car that the team chose not to develop in anticipation of new regulations in 2022. Then in 2022, he was outshone by a returning Kevin Magnussen, and that was it for him in a full-time spot on the grid.

After his time on the Grid, Schumacher spent 2023 and 2024 as a reserve driver for Mercedes and also drove for Alpine in the Hypercar class of the World Endurance Championship.

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Personally, I don't think Mick got a fair shake in F1, considering he never had competitive machinery. He'll have that in IndyCar, but the series is a different animal, especially when you throw ovals into the equation.

However, we've seen plenty of drivers with so-so experiences in F1 come to IndyCar and drive really well. Guys like Alexander Rossi and Marcus Ericsson come to mind immediately, and those are just examples currently on the grid.

So, we'll see how things pan out for Schumacher and RLL — who have a really solid lineup with Schumacher, Graham Rahal, and reigning Rookie of the Year Louis Foster — in a few months when the IndyCar season gets underway in St. Petersburg on March 1.