INDYCAR: Ex-Formula 1 star joins the grid in 2026

ZIONSVILLE, IND. — Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing signed Mick Schumacher to pilot the newly-numbered 47 entry for the 2026 NTT Indycar Series season. 

Schumacher will race alongside Graham Rahal and 2025 Rookie of the Year Louis Foster to complete the three-car lineup.

Sponsorship to be named at a later date.

The Schumacher/RLL pairing has been brewing for a while.

Schumacher made the trip to the U.S. in early October for a private RLL test. He spent a weekend embedded with the team — studying data, observing setups and getting a feel for their operation.

Then came his run on the Indianapolis Road Course, a clear sign of serious interest from both sides.

Schumacher’s Nov. 20 exit from Alpine’s Hypercar World Endurance Championship program removed any doubts about his plans for the upcoming season.

Schumacher brings a strong road course pedigree from across the pond. He cut his teeth in the Formula Junior ranks, winning the 2020 Formula 2 championship over current Red Bull driver Yuki Tsunoda and several other future IndyCar names, including Callum Ilott, Robert Shwartzman, Marcus Armstrong and Christian Lundgaard.

The son of seven-time Formula 1 World Champion Michael Schumacher, he followed in his father’s footsteps — making 43 Formula 1 starts between 2021 and 2022 with a career-best finish of sixth in Austria.

Afterward, he served as a reserve driver for both Ferrari and Mercedes before jumping into endurance racing, earning three podiums in his latest chapter with Alpine.

All that experience — and he’s still just 26 years old. Now, he faces something completely new: oval racing.

Schumacher and RLL kick off their partnership March 1 in the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, where he’ll be more than ready to return to single-seater competition.

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