He moved to the FIA World Endurance Championship series in 2024 and posted three podium finishes in 16 starts for Alpine.<\/p>\n
His new IndyCar team, co-owned by US television host and comedian David Letterman, announced his switch on Monday.<\/p>\n
Six of IndyCar\u2019s 17 races are on ovals or super-speedways, including the Indianapolis 500.<\/p>\n
RLL said they were planning an oval test for the German in the near future.<\/p>\n
\u201cHaving 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,\u201d Schumacher, whose father won seven F1 world titles, said in a team statement.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was also immediately excited about the car and the American way of motorsport, which comes across as being more about pure and direct racing. It is precisely this aspect that I am very much looking forward to.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"Schumacher](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/daa13c6969d60cc8d06edc72432355294a9e09a8.jpg\")
Schumacher was last in the F1 mix as a Mercedes reserve driver. Credit: Eric Alonso\/Getty Images<\/p>\n
Schumacher\u2019s father Michael raced at Indianapolis in F1 but on the hybrid oval-road course, saying he had no interest in trying out the Indy 500 or IndyCar in general.<\/p>\n
\u201cFirst of all, it\u2019s a step down from Formula 1, and second, it\u2019s too dangerous,\u201d Michael said in 2002.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe speed you do, that close to the walls \u2014 if you have an accident, there is no way a chassis can survive a certain way of having a crash.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat means your legs are going to be heavily damaged, or even further. I don\u2019t see any point in that. I have nothing to prove there, I don\u2019t see a challenge in it.<\/p>\n
\u201cUsually the people who cannot survive in Formula 1, they go to Indy. People coming from Indy hardly survive in Formula 1.\u201d<\/p>\n
Michael\u2019s brother Ralf, speaking after Mick\u2019s recent test, said he believes IndyCar remains \u201ctoo dangerous\u201d and he would not want his son David, Mick\u2019s cousin, to race IndyCar.<\/p>\n
But Mick is all in after desperately seeking to return to single-seater racing.<\/p>\n
Team co-owner Bobby Rahal said Schumacher had impressed in a test on the Indianapolis road course in October.<\/p>\n
\u201cEveryone walked away from that event determined to do what we could to bring Mick into our program,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think I speak for everyone at RLL when I say how thrilled we are to welcome Mick to the team and to IndyCar,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
The 17-race 2026 NTT IndyCar Series season begins with the Firestone Grand Prix of St Petersburg, Florida, on March 1.<\/p>\n
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