Mick Schumacher will run full time in the NTT IndyCar Series for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing in 2026, the team announced Nov. 24.
Schumacher, a former Formula 1 driver and son of multi-time F1 champion Michael Schumacher, will drive the team’s No. 47.
“I am delighted to confirm today that I will be competing in the IndyCar Series next year with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, taking part in the full season,” Schumacher said in a team release. “Having both an F1 and an endurance background, and having competed in various racing series over the years, I have insights and knowledge that I am sure will contribute to a great partnership. RLL prepared me extremely well during testing already, and I am sure that we can build a lot together.
“I was also immediately excited about the car and the American way of motorsport which comes across as being more about pure and direct racing, and it is precisely this aspect that I am very much looking forward to. And of course, I am curious about new experiences and always interested in broadening my horizons. For me, a new journey is beginning here, and I am excited for the season to start.”
Added co-owner Bobby Rahal: “I think I speak for everyone at RLL when I say how thrilled we are to welcome Mick to the team and to INDYCAR. His test with us on the IMS road course was exceptional – he impressed every single team member. Everyone walked away from that event determined to do what we could to bring Mick into our program. We’re thrilled he’s chosen to join us, and we can’t wait to get to work.”
Schumacher competed in F1 in 2021 and 2022, with a best finish of 16th in points. He has most recently been driving in the FIA World Endurance Championship while remaining an F1 test/reserve driver.
He joins Graham Rahal and Louis Foster as RLL’s drivers for 2026. The team’s other driver in 2025, Devlin DeFrancesco, has not yet announced his plans for the season.
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Though I’m not generally a fan of people making their way due to their name, this is an exception for me. I cannot imagine what Mick has been through in the time since his father’s horrific skiing accident. I hope he finds success here, and most importantly, finds happiness.
I won’t at all be surprised if Mick raises RLL’s game. Some point to his poor results in F1, but at the time, the Haas cars were completely non-competitive, to the point I don’t think anyone could have elevated them beyond tail of the field status. He also had one of the worst drivers in F1 history as a teammate, so he had no useful input from the other side of the Haas garage.
I’d guess Mick’s time in various formula series will allow him to adapt quite quickly to Indycar, and RLL may even learn a thing or two about how F1 conducts business, helping their overall performance. At the very least, I’d guess the Schumacher name will bring top tier sponsorship, giving RLL a boost in R&D budget.