Former F1 star Mick Schumacher crashes out of debut race on his FIRST lap

Credit for photo: Alpine Endurance Team — Photo: © IMAGO

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Mick Schumacher crashes out of debut race on his FIRST lap

Mick Schumacher is now racing in IndyCar

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Monday 2 March 2026 21:12

A former F1 star has crashed out on the first lap of his debut in American racing series IndyCar.

Now racing for the Rahal Letterman Lanigan team having signed a full-time contract with them to return to single-seater racing, Mick Schumacher had been looking to make an impression at this weekend's Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.

However, the young German could only qualify down in 21st, despite his team-mates being up in ninth and 18th respectively, having been knocked out in the first part of the IndyCar qualifying session.

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And, starting the race from near the back of the 25-driver grid, Schumacher's race in Florida ended remarkably early, with his IndyCar debut lasting less than a full lap.

Schumacher could not escape a collision between Sting Ray Robb and Santino Ferruci at turn four on lap one, and went off with the pair, ending his participation in the race.

The brilliantly named Sting Ray Robb received a 30-second penalty for avoidable contact and continued on in the race, while Schumacher and Ferucci were out.

Will Schumacher return to the F1 grid?

The son of seven-time F1 world champion Michael Schumacher, Schumacher junior claimed F2 title success in 2020, aged just 21.

That earned him a promotion up into F1, with Haas taking a gamble on the young German, and he competed in the series in 2021 and 2022, claiming 12 points in that time.

Schumacher was axed by Haas at the end of the 2022 season after a number of expensive accidents during that year, and he has not been seen on the F1 grid since, although he did take up a reserve driver role with Mercedes in 2023 and 2024.

Now 26 years of age, it's hard to envisage a return to the F1 grid in the future for the German, with his F2 title win from 2020 now fading into the distant past.

At Alpine's WEC team, at least it felt as though Schumacher was closely linked to the F1 team, although managing director Steve Nielsen revealed last season that Schumacher was not a consideration to replace the struggling Franco Colapinto.

Schumacher was also snubbed for a move to the new Cadillac team for 2026, with the American outfit instead opting for a more experienced duo of Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas.

Haas Mick Schumacher IndyCar