F1 'door closed' as Mick Schumacher begins IndyCar chapter

(GMM) Ralf Schumacher has doubled down on his criticism of nephew Mick Schumacher’s (pictured) move to IndyCar, warning the Formula 1 comeback dream is effectively over.

Mick Schumacher – The Unser INDYCAR Open Test at Phoenix Raceway – By_ Matt Fraver

Speaking during a pre-season Sky Deutschland press conference, Ralf questioned the risk-reward balance of the American switch – particularly with oval racing included in Mick’s program.

“There’s fantastic racing in the USA, but it’s completely different from what we have here in Europe,” he said. “With all due respect, the question for me is one of benefit versus risk.”

He pointed specifically to the dangers of high-speed ovals.

“You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to realize that racing on an oval, at average speeds of 360 kmh, is somewhat more dangerous than a normal Formula 1 race,” Ralf said. “That’s why I’ve always said I don’t understand the move and find it unnecessary. But he’s old enough and has to know what he’s doing.”

Ralf Schumacher fears oval racing. Shown here with his boyfriend Étienne Bousquet-Cassagne

Mick, 26, has already acknowledged that adaptation will take time ahead of the 2026 IndyCar season opener in early March.

“I’ll probably need a bit longer,” he admitted, saying he is still learning both the car and the circuits after limited prior experience on ovals.

While Mick has framed IndyCar as a potential stepping stone back to F1, Ralf sees little chance of that happening.

“It’s clear the door is closed,” he said. “This move certainly closed it, but it was already closed before, after being out for so long. New talents are always emerging.”

Ralf argued that Formula 1’s ruthless environment leaves no room for gradual development.

“You come in and you have to perform immediately. Not winning isn’t enough, because Formula 1 is only for the top drivers,” he said, referring to Mick’s Haas stint alongside Kevin Magnussen.

Beyond the personal case, Schumacher delivered a bleak assessment of German motorsport more broadly.

“German motorsport has destroyed itself,” he said. “It started with nature conservation and not being allowed to continue operating kart tracks.”

He warned that without structural change, Germany’s pipeline to Formula 1 could dry up entirely.

“We won’t have any Formula 1 drivers in the foreseeable future unless they have enough money and manage to race karts in Italy,” he said. “That’s the only way to compete directly with the best.”