Mick Schumacher’s introduction to the NTT INDYCAR SERIES came quickly. So did his next career move.
The 26-year-old son of seven-time Formula One World Champion Michael Schumacher turned his first laps in INDYCAR SERIES machinery with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing on Oct. 13 during a test on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course. Forty-nine days later, RLL confirmed Schumacher will drive the No. 47 Honda for the entire 2026 season.
“It was pretty quick,” RLL Team President Jay Frye said. “We were fortunate to have Mick in for the test. It was a four- or five-day process. We did the Honda sim, seat fittings and then obviously the test went well. It was an amazing experience. I’m excited for the future and excited to put this together. We’re up for the challenge and ready to go.”
Schumacher left his first INDYCAR SERIES outing aware the next step was his choice. The team was impressed and waited to hear whether he would join Graham Rahal and Louis Foster in RLL’s 2026 lineup.
“I just wanted to see the car and how it feels to drive,” Schumacher said. “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.”
The Swiss-born driver made 43 Formula One starts with Haas F1 Team from 2021-22 before racing for Alpine’s factory FIA World Endurance Championship program in 2024-25. A return to single-seaters appealed to him, and RLL became the destination.
While Schumacher has no oval experience and has seen none of the series’ tracks outside of the 2.439-mile, 14-turn IMS road course (photo, above), team co-owner Bobby Rahal believes RLL is the prime destination to expedite his learning experience.
“We’ve got three strong players, probably the strongest we’ve ever had for a three-car team,” Rahal said. “I know it’s going to be a successful experience for everyone.”
That optimism reflects a dramatically different internal atmosphere from just a few years ago. Entering the 2025 season, RLL was still emerging from a difficult period that included missing the 2023 Indianapolis 500 with Graham Rahal and placing two cars on the last row that year. Christian Lundgaard delivered the team’s first win since 2020 in the 2023 Honda Indy Toronto, but morale lagged, and he departed for Arrow McLaren after the 2024 season. The team’s three full-time drivers finished 11th, 18th and 19th in points that year.
RLL struggled with results again in 2025, but the path forward began to sharpen.
Rahal finished 19th, 2024 INDY NXT by Firestone champion Foster earned Rookie of the Year honors with a 23rd-place finish, and Devlin DeFrancesco placed 26th. But with Frye joining the organization April 1, the team began implementing sweeping changes.
Just this offseason, RLL added Gavin Ward as special advisor, Brian Barnhart as vice president of operations and Kyle Sagan as pit stop manager. The team also secured Foster on a multiyear deal and brings Schumacher into the lineup.
“There’s been a transformation across the entire team,” Frye said. “We have tremendous support from the team owners. They’ve put a lot into this organization. We’ve probably brought in 10 new people to this point. We’re excited about 2026. It’s going to look a lot different than 2025.”
Rahal sees the difference, too.
“Jay (Frye) and I have known each other for a number of years and had a lot of discussions,” Rahal said. “He’s a fighter. He’s a competitor. That level of competition has to go from the top all the way to the bottom. I think we’re already seeing the benefit of that.
“I saw really good performances last year, maybe not the finishes we hoped for, but there were a lot of indications that the competitive side was much better. With the people we’ve added, it’ll just get better. I think a lot of that is the influence Jay has brought into the organization.
“I feel quite good about the situation in front of us. My partners — Mike Lanigan, Dave Letterman, Alex Wright — their passion to succeed is as strong as mine and as strong as Jay’s. When you combine all that, it makes a powerful force.
“The horizon looks good. The sun has come up, and we’re going to have a good year in 2026.”
