Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (RLL) has announced that Mick Schumacher will join the team as a full-time driver for the 2026 IndyCar Series. The news was confirmed on November 24, 2025, marking a major career shift for the 26-year-old former Formula 1 and World Endurance Championship driver.
Schumacher will compete in all 17 IndyCar races next season, including the 110th running of the Indianapolis 500, as he makes the switch to America’s premier open-wheel category. He will drive a Honda-powered entry, the same manufacturer that powered his former F1 rival Takuma Sato during his years with RLL.
Table of Contents
A symbolic number 47, tied to family and legacy
Schumacher will use car number 47, a number he previously raced with in Formula 1. RLL confirmed that this number was chosen as a tribute to his father, seven-time Formula 1 world champion Michael Schumacher.
The number carries two meanings within the Schumacher family:
- Michael won his seventh F1 championship in 2004, the year Mick turned five
- The sum of all four Schumacher family birthdays equals 47
Mick will line up alongside veteran Graham Rahal and 2025 Rookie of the Year Lewis Foster.
“I was attracted to American racing culture”
Schumacher earned the seat after an impressive test at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course on October 13, where he showed speed, consistency and strong feedback.
Reflecting on the move, Schumacher said:
“I’m excited to be working with RLL on a full-time IndyCar campaign, and I’m sure the knowledge I’ve gained from Formula 1, endurance racing and other categories will be useful.”
“I was attracted to the impression that American racing culture places more emphasis on pure and direct racing, and I’m also interested in new experiences. I also have a strong desire to broaden my horizons. I’m really looking forward to starting a new journey from here.”
His transition will include learning oval racing, something absent from F1 and WEC. Six of the 17 races in 2026 will take place on ovals, including the Indy 500.
Strong praise from RLL leadership
RLL co-owner Bobby Rahal said Schumacher’s performance during the IMS test quickly won over the entire organisation.
“On behalf of everyone at RLL, I want to welcome Mick. We are so happy that he’s here. His test on the IMS road course was fantastic. He convinced the whole team. From that day on, we were determined to bring Mick here.”
Co-owner David Letterman added that Schumacher’s arrival strengthens the team’s long-term prospects.
“With Graham, Lewis, and now Mick, the future of RLL only looks brighter.”
From Formula 1 and WEC to a new chapter
Schumacher previously competed in 43 F1 races for Haas between 2021 and 2022, achieving a best finish of sixth. After leaving F1, he joined Alpine’s WEC programme, scoring three podiums across 2024 and 2025 and demonstrating significant development in endurance machinery.
Although he explored possibilities for returning to Formula 1, Schumacher ultimately decided to commit to a full-time career in the United States.
The 2026 IndyCar season begins on March 1 in St. Petersburg, where Schumacher will debut the number 47 Honda-powered RLL machine in his first race as a full-time IndyCar driver.
