Schumacher Smiles After First Oval Test

Mick Schumacher admitted he “found the limit pretty early” during his first experience of oval racing, yet the overriding emotion at the end of the day was unmistakable delight. The 26-year-old German emerged from a private test at Homestead–Miami Speedway with a broad smile and a sense that an important new chapter of his racing education had begun.

Running an all-black No. 47 Honda for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, Schumacher completed 97 laps on the 1.5-mile oval on Wednesday. The outing marked his maiden exposure to sustained high-speed running on a banked circuit, a discipline entirely absent from his previous career in Formula 1 and the FIA World Endurance Championship. Team-mate Graham Rahal, who initially shook down the car, was present throughout the test, as was former IndyCar driver Ryan Briscoe, acting as Schumacher’s driver coach.

Despite higher-than-anticipated tyre degradation — which forced the team to exhaust its allocated sets and end the session earlier than planned — the day unfolded smoothly. Schumacher was quickly able to explore the behaviour of the car at both ends of the handling spectrum, experiencing significant rear instability as well as pronounced understeer as adjustments were made.

Rather than being unsettled by this, Schumacher saw it as an invaluable learning opportunity. He spoke positively about gaining confidence, particularly when the car developed understeer, which he described as providing a greater sense of security at speed. Understanding what he could comfortably drive with, and identifying the settings that suited his style, were key takeaways from the test.

One of the most novel elements for Schumacher was the weight-jacker, a cockpit-adjustable tool commonly used in American single-seater racing to fine-tune handling balance. Having never encountered such a system in his previous categories, Schumacher relished the chance to experiment freely, noting how changes from side to side could be felt immediately. He believes the device will prove especially effective both in traffic and when running alone, particularly when used in combination with the anti-roll bars.

Preparation for the test began a day earlier, when Briscoe took Schumacher around the circuit in a minivan to illustrate the subtleties of Homestead’s variable 18–20 degrees of banking. Yet Schumacher emphasised that the most important factor in his smooth acclimatisation was not technical instruction, but the team’s collective mindset. Rahal, Briscoe and the wider RLL organisation consistently reinforced that the objective was learning rather than proving anything.

That patient approach helped Schumacher resist the natural urge to overreach on his first proper day with a new team. By setting aside expectations and allowing himself to progress at his own pace, he felt more relaxed and receptive, ultimately describing the test as a shared process in which everyone was fully invested.

Test summary

For Schumacher, the test was not about lap times or headlines, but about laying foundations. Judging by his reaction, it was a foundation built with confidence, curiosity and a genuine sense of enjoyment.