Formula One veteran Mick Schumacher joins Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing for 2026 INDYCAR season. (Photo courtesy of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing)

By John Sturbin, Raceday San Antonio

A self-described “big fan of single-seater racing,” Mick Schumacher confirmed today he will contest the full 2026 NTT IndyCar Series season with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing.

The 26-year-old son of seven-time Formula One World Driving Champion Michael Schumacher, Mick’s racing resume includes 43 F1 starts with a best finish of sixth, along with three podiums in World Endurance Championship competition.

The Swiss-born driver will compete in the No. 47 Honda-powered entry alongside INDYCAR veteran Graham Rahal, 36, and 2025 Rookie of the Year Louis Foster, 22, of Great Britain. Sponsorship details for the No. 47 Honda will be announced at a later date.

The number 47 carries symbolic meaning for the “Son of Schumacher” as a nod to his father and family. Forty-seven combines Mick’s favorite number, 4, with his father’s, 7 _ representing the seven F1 World Championships and the sum of his family’s birthdays. Additionally, some fans have interpreted it as “For Michael.” 

Mick Schumacher most recently competed in the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) in 2024 and 2025 for Alpine. On Oct. 13, Mick completed an INDYCAR test on the 2.439-mile/14-turn Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road-Course, impressing RLLR team-founder/co-owner Bobby Rahal with his pace, adaptability and technical feedback.

“I am very much looking forward to driving a car where I can see my wheels,” Schumacher quipped prior to that session, adding speculation about his desire to return to open-wheel racing.

“I am delighted to confirm today that I will be competing in INDYCAR next year with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, taking part in the full season,” Schumacher said in a team news release. “Having 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. RLL prepared me extremely well during testing already, and I am sure that we can build a lot together.

“I was also immediately excited about the car and the American way of motorsport which comes across as being more about pure and direct racing, and it is precisely this aspect that I am very much looking forward to. And of course, I am curious about new experiences and always interested in broadening my horizons. For me, a new journey is beginning here, and I am excited for the season to start.”

No stranger to racing on road and street-courses, Schumacher will add oval racing to his resume in 2026 as six of 17 races on the schedule will be contested on either an oval or superspeedway _ most prominently the 110th Indianapolis 500 on May 24 on the 2.5-mile IMS oval. RLL is in the process of planning an oval test for Schumacher.

“I think I speak for everyone at RLL when I say how thrilled we are to welcome Mick to the team and to INDYCAR,” said Bobby Rahal, a three-time INDYCAR champion and winner of the 1986 Indy 500. “His test with us on the IMS Road-Course was exceptional _ he impressed every single team member. Everyone walked away from that event determined to do what we could to bring Mick into our program. We’re thrilled he’s chosen to join us, and we can’t wait to get to work.”

Based in Zionsville, Ind., RLLR’s co-owners are former “CBS Late Show” host David Letterman and Mi-Jack co-owner Mike Lanigan.

“I’m delighted to welcome Mick Schumacher to the RLL family _ a young man who has competed against some of the world’s greatest racers,” Letterman said. “With Graham Rahal, Louis Foster and now Mick, the future is limitless. I’m very excited for the 2026 season. Still waiting for my seat-fitting.”

Lanigan lauded Schumacher as a “great addition” to the team that will celebrate its 35th year of competition in 2026 and attempt to add to its 30 INDYCAR wins. Among those victories is the 2004 Indy 500 from pole with Buddy Rice and the 2020 Indy 500 with Takuma Sato of Japan among 38 poles, 112 podiums and Bobby Rahal’s 1992 series championship.

“Mick has the skills and experience that will help enhance our overall competitiveness in one of the most competitive racing series in the world,” Lanigan said. “Welcome aboard, Mick!”

Schumacher was born and raised in Switzerland. Father Michael, a native of Germany, won five consecutive F1 World Championships with Scuderia Ferrari from 2000 to 2004. The elder Schumacher, 56, scored five of his career 91 F1 victories at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the most of any driver in the United States Grand Prix conducted from 2000 to 2007. “The Great Schumi” posted his IMS victories in 2000, 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006. 

Initially competing under the pseudonyms Mick Betsch and Mick Junior, Schumacher finished as runner-up to Pakistani-British driver Enaam Ahmed at the junior direct-drive Karting World Championship and Karting European Championship in 2014. Graduating to junior formula in 2015, Schumacher finished runner-up in both ADAC F4 and Italian F4 in 2016. After finishing third in the MRF Challenge Championship in 2016-2017, Schumacher moved to FIA European Formula 3, winning the championship with Prema in 2018. Progressing to FIA Formula 2 for 2019, Schumacher won the title in 2020 with Prema.

Mick became a member of the Ferrari Driver Academy in 2019, and went on to participate in rookie testing for Alfa Romeo and Haas F1 in 2020. Schumacher eventually signed with Gene Haas’ American-owned team as a fulltime driver in 2021. Schumacher made his F1 debut at the Bahrain Grand Prix alongside Nikita Mazepin of Russia. Haas F1 failed to score points during the season with the VF-21 car, with Schumacher earning a season-best finish of 12th in Hungary.

In 2022, Schumacher teamed with Kevin Magnussen of Denmark and scored his first points-finish at the British Grand Prix by placing eighth, followed by a career-best sixth at the Austrian Grand Prix. Schumacher also served as official reserve driver for Ferrari in 2022.

In 2023 and 2024, Mick was a reserve driver for Mercedes, serving in the same capacity for McLaren and Williams. In 2024, Schumacher moved to the FIA World Endurance Championship with Alpine and earned his first podium finish at the Six Hours of Fuji.

In 2025, Schumacher logged podium finishes at the Six Hours of Imola in Italy and Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium.

“Opportunities like this are rare, and we couldn’t be more excited to see everything come together,” said Jay Frye, president of RLLR. “Mick is an exceptional talent on the track and an outstanding young man off of it. We are very proud to have Mick as part of the RLL family.”

The NTT IndyCar Series is North America’s premier open-wheel racing competition, featuring stars from across the globe competing at speeds faster than 230 mph. Along with hosting “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” _ the Indianapolis 500 _ the series features a mix of oval, temporary street circuit and permanent road-course races across North America. The NTT IndyCar Series is sanctioned by governing body INDYCAR as part of the Penske Entertainment family.

The 2026 NTT IndyCar Series season will begin with the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, Fla., on March 1. The 17-race schedule includes new venues in Arlington, Texas, and Markham, Ontario, Canada. For more information about the series or team, visit www.indycar.com and www.rahal.com.

Indy 500 winner Alex Palou unveils his image on the Borg-Warner Trophy. (Photo courtesy of the NTT IndyCar Series)

Reigning Indianapolis 500 champion Alex Palou officially was recognized as a “Legend of The Brickyard” last week, when his likeness was unveiled on the Borg-Warner Trophy in Indianapolis.

Palou earned the first oval-track victory of his career and became the first Spaniard to win “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” on May 25 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Driver of the No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, Palou passed former teammate and 2022 Indy 500 champion Marcus Ericsson of Sweden on Lap 187 of the scheduled 200 and never trailed thereafter. Palou presented team-owner Ganassi the organization’s sixth Indy 500 victory en route to claiming his fourth series championship.

The bas-relief, sterling silver image of Palou is the 112th face to be affixed to the iconic trophy, awarded annually to the winner of the Indianapolis 500 since 1936.

“This is one of those days that I knew I wanted to be part of at some point in my career,” said Palou, a 28-year-old native of Spain. “I knew it was going take a lot of work, and finally to be here and to get to see the trophy for the first time, it’s amazing.

“I know that it’s always going to be there forever, if I race one more year or if I race 50 more years. And whatever the history of INDYCAR is going to be, it’s always going to be there. So, it’s great to be part of all those amazing drivers. And, yeah, I feel that now. I want to get that face again on that trophy. Try and be part again of the history of our sport.”

The unveiling took place at The Above Event Center at Commission Row. Located in downtown Indianapolis, it is part of the Pacers Sports & Entertainment Complex known as Bicentennial Unity Plaza. Following the unveil, Palou attended the Indiana Pacers’ NBA game with the Borg-Warner Trophy. It was a full-circle moment as he also attended an Indiana Pacers’ playoff game following his Indy 500 win.

Renowned sculptor Will Behrends created Palou’s image, as he has for every winner since 1990.  Behrends begins his creative process by studying a series of 360-degree photos of the winner to get a baseline for sculpting. Palou then visited Behrends’ studio in Tryon, North Carolina, for an in-person session where Behrends constructed a full-scale clay model of the driver’s face.

This life-size clay version is used as reference for Behrends to construct the smaller model, a piece created out of a mixture of oil-based clay. The smaller clay model is turned into a mold and cast in wax before being sent to a jeweler to be transformed into sterling silver. Behrends completes his process by polishing and buffing the sculpture before adhering it to the trophy.

“I’m honored to continue one of the greatest traditions in all of sports and unveil the latest addition to the iconic Borg-Warner Trophy at this beautiful venue,” said Michelle Collins, global director, marketing and public relations, BorgWarner. “Alex’s victory exemplifies that tenacity and constant commitment to excellence will result in success, on and off the track. On behalf of everyone at BorgWarner, congratulations to Alex and the team at Chip Ganassi Racing.”

Originally designed in 1935, the sterling silver trophy measures over 5-feet, 4-3/4 inches tall and weighs more than 110 pounds as it carries the sculpted face of every victor since 1911 and of former IMS owner Anton “Tony” Hulman.

Early next year, Palou will receive his BorgWarner Championships Driver’s Trophy, also known as a “Baby Borg,” a miniature replica of the large-scale Borg-Warner Trophy.

Tickets for the 110th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge and all Month of May events at Indianapolis Motor Speedway are on sale at IMS.com.

Penske Entertainment has been recognized as one of the “Best Places to Work in Sports” for 2025 by “Sports Business Journal.”

The distinction is awarded annually to sports and entertainment organizations displaying unwavering and innovative commitment to their employees. Selections are informed by a comprehensive survey that measures employee satisfaction and cultural progress.

“This recognition is extra special because it’s informed by direct insights and feedback from staff _ it truly reflects the voice of our team,” said Kristin Weeden, Penske Entertainment chief talent officer. “At Penske Entertainment we’re building a culture that listens, takes action and is inclusive. We know this creates an environment that rewards hard work, drives innovation and ultimately helps us best serve our fans at INDYCAR and Indianapolis Motor Speedway with world-class events.”

In recent years, Penske Entertainment has enhanced decision-making by creating clear channels for input and giving team members meaningful opportunities to influence workplace initiatives. The organization has deepened its investment in employees by rolling out extended parental leave, launching a tuition assistance benefit and building partnerships that support continuous learning and development.

“SBJ’s” full list of “Best Places to Work in Sports” can be viewed here.

Penske Entertainment Corp., a subsidiary of Penske Corporation, is home to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the NTT IndyCar Series and IMS Productions _ a leading video services and production company.

Final 2025 NTT IndyCar Series Point Standings _ 1, Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing, 711; 2, Pato O’Ward, Arrow McLaren, 515; 3, Scott Dixon, Chip Ganassi Racing, 452; 4, Kyle Kirkwood, Andretti Global, 433; 5, Christian Lundgaard, Arrow McLaren, 431; 6, Felix Rosenqvist, Meyer Shank Racing, 372; 7, Colton Herta, Andretti Global, 372; 8, Marcus Armstrong, Meyer Shank Racing, 364; 9, Will Power, Team Penske, 357; 10, Scott McLaughlin, Team Penske, 356;

11, David Malukas, A.J. Foyt Racing, 318; 12, Josef Newgarden, Team Penske, 316; 13, Christian Rasmussen, Ed Carpenter Racing, 313; 14, Rinus VeeKay, Dale Coyne Racing, 305; 15, Alexander Rossi, Ed Carpenter Racing, 297; 16, Santino Ferrucci, A.J. Foyt Racing, 293; 17, Kyffin Simpson, Chip Ganassi Racing, 282; 18, Conor Daly, Juncos Hollinger Racing, 268; 19, Graham Rahal, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, 260; 20, Marcus Ericsson, Andretti Global, 234;

21, Callum Ilott, PREMA Racing, 218; 22, Nolan Siegel, Arrow McLaren, 213; 23, Louis Foster, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, 213; 24, Robert Shwartzman, PREMA Racing, 211; 25, Sting Ray Robb, Juncos Hollinger Racing, 181; 26, Devlin DeFrancesco, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, 171; 27, Jacob Abel, Dale Coyne Racing, 123; 28, Takuma Sato, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, 36; 29, Helio Castroneves, Meyer Shank Racing, 20; 30, Ed Carpenter, Ed Carpenter Racing, 16;

31, Jack Harvey, Dreyer & Reinbold Racing/Cusick Motorsports, 12; 32, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Dreyer & Reinbold Racing/Cusick Motorsports, 10; 33, Kyle Larson, Arrow McLaren with Henrick Motorsports, 6; 34, Marco Andretti, Andretti Herta with Marco & Curb-Agajanian, 5.