Ex-F1 driver Mick Schumacher lands IndyCar test with RLL

Former Haas F1 driver Mick Schumacher will get his first taste of IndyCar machinery next month.

The German will test for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing in a private test at the Indianapolis road course on October 13.

The test will give Schumacher the opportunity to “familiarise himself with the technical specifications of the IndyCar with an eye toward possible participation in the future.”

Since losing his Haas F1 drive to Nico Hulkenberg in 2023, Schumacher has spent most of his racing time in the World Endurance Championship with Alpine.

Schumacher has failed to secure a full-time seat on the F1 grid again.

He was linked with Alpine last year, but was overlooked, as they signed Jack Doohan.

Similarly, he was linked with Cadillac, who announced Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez as their two drivers.

“I am very much looking forward to driving my first IndyCar test,” Schumacher said.

“A big thank you to the Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing team for giving me this opportunity.

“The same goes for driving this car at Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the first time, a race track with a big history and that my dad has driven on before. I am excited to see which special features it holds.

“I am very curious to understand the special features and characteristics of this race car, which is different from the cars I am used to driving, yet similar, and I remain very interested in gaining experience in the diverse world of motorsport.”

RLL co-owner Bobby Rahal admitted the thought of having a Schumacher in one of his cars is “very exciting”.

Rahal added: “I have followed Mick’s career from afar, as well as that of his father, so the thought of seeing him in one of our race cars is very exciting.

“I think it’s going to be a great day for RLL and also for Mick as he gets his first experience in an Indy car. Obviously, he’s got a great deal of talent and knowing that we’ve had pretty good setups for the IMS road course, it should give him a good baseline to start from.”

The end of Schumacher’s F1 dream?

A switch to IndyCar will signify the likely end of his F1 career.

Schumacher spent two years at Haas before he was replaced.

His rookie F1 season was impressive on paper, dismantling Nikita Mazepin.

However, Kevin Magnussen’s return put Schumacher’s true level of performance in the spotlight.

A run of high-profile, costly crashes ultimately cost Schumacher his seat.

While his form picked up at the end of 2022, particularly on race day, Haas favoured experience.

Schumacher has since been linked with Alpine and Cadillac, but both teams opted for different drivers.

Schumacher has performed well in WEC, suggesting he can still have a long career in motorsport, albeit not F1.