Mick Schumacher has opened the door to a potential Formula 1 return despite launching his IndyCar career with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing in March. The 27-year-old German, who raced for Haas in 2021 and 2022, made clear he still thinks about his time on the F1 grid.
Speaking to German broadcaster ntv, Schumacher said he reflects on his Formula 1 experience regularly.
It would be a lie if I said that I don’t go back to the Formula 1 times every now and then and think about what it was like to drive there. It’s a different time, of course. If an option were to come up again, I wouldn’t say no, of course. That’s definitely the case.
The comments come as Schumacher prepares for his first Indianapolis 500, scheduled for May 24, after making his IndyCar debut at the Grand Prix of St Petersburg in March. He currently sits 24th in the series standings following his first five races, with a best finish of 17th as he adjusts to the new environment.
Cadillac Move Didn’t Materialize
Schumacher’s IndyCar switch followed interest from Cadillac F1, the new 11th team entering the championship in 2026. He was considered for a testing and reserve driver position before the team ultimately signed Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas as race drivers.
In November, Schumacher addressed the situation candidly.
I think that the whole situation has been a tough one in some ways, but also, I think understandably, they went into a different direction. The information that I had, up to pretty much the end, we’ve been in contention for that seat, and then they went a different direction, which is fair enough.
That decision forced him to evaluate his priorities.
And it just led to me having to understand, ‘Okay, what do I want? Do I want to try and keep getting back onto the F1 grid? Or, do I want to do racing that I enjoy, and that’s obviously single-seaters?’
IndyCar Adjustment Period
Schumacher acknowledged the scale of the transition from Formula 1 to American open-wheel racing.
IndyCar is of course a big change to what I’ve experienced in motorsport so far,
he said, while noting he has been enjoying the new challenge despite still settling into the series.
At Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, Schumacher lines up alongside Graham Rahal, who sits 10th in the standings, and Louis Foster in 20th. The team is chasing Spanish driver Alex Palou, who leads the championship after three victories from five starts. Palou, 29, also won the title in 2025.
Schumacher isn’t the only former F1 driver competing in the 2026 IndyCar series. Romain Grosjean, who scored 10 podiums with Lotus between 2013 and 2015, signed with Dale Coyne Racing for this season.
What’s Next
Schumacher’s immediate focus is the Sonsio Grand Prix on Saturday, May 10, followed by his maiden Indianapolis 500 appearance on May 24. While his F1 door remains ajar, he’s committed to building momentum in IndyCar — a championship where seat time and consistency matter as much as raw pace. His trajectory through the rest of the season will determine whether he becomes a fixture in American racing or keeps one eye on a potential F1 opening.