Mick Schumacher has officially reached an important milestone before the Indy 500 by completing his first laps on the legendary Indianapolis Motor Speedway ahead of the Indy GP on the road course tonight.
Read more Fernando Alonso finally relieved: Aston Martin would have fixed his huge engine problem
On the first day of official testing before the race, the German driver successfully completed the mandatory Rookie Orientation Program on his first attempt, completing the three phases with confidence and composure.
He started with laps with little traffic to get used to the 2.5-mile oval, before gradually increasing his speed and then running in a pack later in the day.
Gradual learning
“On the oval… it was interesting,” Schumi Jr. confides. “The ROP helped me get my bearings on the circuit and to gradually build up my pace. We made a lot of setup changes, so there is still work to do for tomorrow.”
Despite the impressive size of the 2.5-mile (4 km) Speedway, Schumacher acknowledged that shorter ovals remain more impressive, mentioning his notable performance earlier this year at Phoenix Raceway, where he qualified 4th: “Phoenix felt more intense. Here, everything relies on smoothness and precision in the turns.”
Read more Honda in big trouble: FIA changes rules to avoid disaster
The German, who drives for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, was surprised by nothing, proving that his preparation paid off. His previous runs at Homestead-Miami Speedway and World Wide Technology Raceway allowed him to gain experience on ovals.
Well coached
A slight moment of tension occurred when the car became unstable during the session, but Schumacher immediately lifted off and returned to the pits, following the advice of his coach Ryan Briscoe: “If something doesn’t feel right, you have to come in: that’s what I learned. You have to trust your feelings… or as they say, trust your instincts.”
With this first experience behind him and growing confidence, Schumacher seems on the right track for his debut at the Indianapolis 500 on May 25 next.
Meanwhile, he is taking part in the Indy Grand Prix tonight on the road course laid out in the center of the Speedway, trying to continue his progress on all terrains, after qualifying was postponed to this afternoon due to rain (he will start in the ninth row). And starting next week, back to the big oval for the 500 Miles qualifying.
Read more Formula 1 increases its revenue by 53% in the first quarter: how far will the rise go?