**Will Buxton on Mick Schumacher’s Potential Move to IndyCar: Why F1 Wasn’t the “Right Place” for Him**
IndyCar commentator Will Buxton has shared his candid thoughts on Mick Schumacher’s potential transition to the American racing series, shedding light on why Formula 1 wasn’t the ideal environment for the German driver.
Schumacher’s two-year stint with Haas in F1 proved underwhelming, culminating in then-team boss Guenther Steiner deciding to part ways with him at the end of 2023. As the son of seven-time F1 champion Michael Schumacher, Mick faced enormous expectations from fans — expectations he ultimately struggled to meet.
In 2024 and 2025, Schumacher competed in the World Endurance Championship with Alpine before turning his attention back to open-wheel racing, with his sights set on a return in 2026. The 26-year-old recently completed his first IndyCar test with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing in mid-October and is now a serious contender for a seat with the team next season.
### Buxton: Mick Schumacher Joining IndyCar Would Be “Absolutely Huge”
Will Buxton, who served as F1TV’s lead presenter until 2025 before joining IndyCar, spoke on a recent episode of the Divebomb IndyCar podcast about what Schumacher’s move could mean for the series. According to Buxton, Mick joining IndyCar would be “absolutely huge” for the sport.
The British commentator also explained why Formula 1 may never have been the right fit for Schumacher.
> “I don’t think Formula 1 was ever really the right place for Mick because, a couple of things,” Buxton said [1: 01: 45 onwards].
> “Number one, the shadow, you know, that he could never hope to step out of his father. Nobody other than Lewis Hamilton has been able to match the level of success of Michael Schumacher. And for anybody to hope to get even close, you know, they’re dreaming, everyone’s dreaming, let alone having the extra weight of being Mick. It was always going to be hard for him.”
Buxton also highlighted Schumacher’s pattern of performance development seen during his junior career:
> “But I don’t think F1 was ever really the right place for him because the cars change so much and so quickly. And if you look at Mick’s career, in pretty much every championship he ever did, year one, he was nowhere. Year two, first half of the season, pretty sketchy, and then second half, something just clicked and he understood the car and would run to the title.”
Unlike Formula 1 — which undergoes significant technical changes at least twice a decade — IndyCar has used the same Dallara DW12 chassis since 2012 and plans to introduce a new car only in 2028. Being a more spec-oriented series, IndyCar could better suit Schumacher’s approach to learning and gradual performance growth.
### Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing’s Lead Driver ‘Pleased’ with Schumacher’s Test
Graham Rahal, lead driver for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing and son of one of the team’s co-owners, expressed his satisfaction following Schumacher’s first IndyCar test.
Although Rahal was unable to attend the test at Indianapolis Motor Speedway due to expecting his third child with his wife, he shared his thoughts in a late October interview with WISH-TV:
> “We’re fired up, man. We’ve been working awfully hard as a team, done a lot of development. Obviously, tested with Schumacher. You know, Mick, we’ll see what happens there, but certainly pleased with what went on. Overall, I’m very impressed with what the team’s doing.”
### Schumacher Family’s Involvement and Next Steps
The Schumacher family appears invested in evaluating Mick’s potential switch to IndyCar. Mick’s mother, Corinna Schumacher, attended the test and later joined a family dinner with RLL president Jay Frye and his wife.
Looking ahead, Mick has emphasized his interest in completing another test on an oval track — a racing format he has never experienced — before making a final decision on his IndyCar future.
With Mick Schumacher steadily adapting to this new chapter, the racing world eagerly awaits to see whether the next phase of his career unfolds on American soil.
https://www.sportskeeda.com/indycar/news-will-buxton-s-honest-take-mick-schumacher-s-indycar-prospect-don-t-think-f1-right-place-him
