Indianapolis Motor Speedway (Speedway, Ind.) — Mick Schumacher turned his first laps Tuesday at the place that serves as the host for “The Greatest Spectacle In Racing.”
The former Formula 1 driver, though, has yet to experience the “spectacle” part, so it seemed to be pretty much a business-like day for the INDYCAR rookie in the No. 47 car.
Schumacher, son of seven-time F1 champion Michael Schumacher, had previously tested on the IMS road course. He also has had some significant oval experience this year with tests at Phoenix, WWTR Gateway (St. Louis) and Homestead as well as a race at Phoenix.
He cracked 220 mph and ranked 24th overall in both single-car and in-the-draft speeds. He’ll likely be going at least 10 mph faster when it comes to qualifying next month for the Indianapolis 500.
Schumacher said he likely has hit those speeds at trucks such as Mexico City and Monza but qualifying would likely be the fastest he has ever driven a race car.
“It’s just getting through the [test] run plan, which was important to us,” Schumacher told me. “It probably will be very impressive once we go to quali power because that is a big jump.
“But up to now, it’s very much what I would expect from an oval from what I’ve experienced so far.”
All Indy 500 teams were testing Tuesday and they have another full day set for Wednesday in preparation for the May 24th race. Practice for the Indy 500 begins May 12. Dreyer & Reinbold Racing’s Conor Daly, whose team only does the Indy 500, was the fastest in testing Tuesday.
The teams are limited to five sets of tires, so Schumacher’s team (like many) spent some time in their pit stall or the paddock to get their cars comfortable for the driver.
“It was good,” Schumacher said about the test. “I spent a little bit in the [pit] box trying to just adjust our car in the right way. I think we managed it pretty well.
“Getting out there running tomorrow, we have a good couple of sets [of tires] left to really do the job that we need to hopefully run some in traffic.”
Mick Schumacher turned his first oval laps Tuesday at the home of the Indy 500.
Graham Rahal, whose father is a co-owner and who has made 18 Indianapolis 500 starts, said he told Schumacher to just be as smooth as he was at the much smaller 1-mile Phoenix oval earlier this year.
“Just be silky smooth with your feet,” Rahal told me and other reporters before Schumacher took to the track Tuesday. “Honestly, the getting up to speed part is some of the hardest parts, because these cars are they’re designed to go fast. … I see all the drivers [data]. I see their throttle traces, braking if needed. I see their downshift points, all the things that affect a car on the corner entry.
“He’s done a great job with it. I was super impressed. I was impressed from the first test.”
Rahal said the way Schumacher drives suits the ovals quite well.
“When he went out there [on the IMS road course last fall], I could see three or four laps in he was fairly comfortable,” Rahal said. “And the way that he was doing things, it’s really good. He’s got a bright future. Stylistically, the way he drives, does suit ovals quite well.”
Schumacher said there is a good reason for that.
“I come from a place where tie degradation is obviously a big factor, and kind of learned to drive and nurture those ties in a very smooth way,” Schumacher told me. “And I guess that’s what I kind of brought over here.”
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