Mike Shank explains signing 'undervalued' Mick Schumacher to Meyer Shank Racing

Indianapolis – Meyer Shank Racing has made a bold move by signing undervalued driver Mick Schumacher to its IndyCar team for the 2027 season. Despite Schumacher's 23rd-place finish in the IndyCar championship during his rookie year with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, the team saw potential in him. In an interview ahead of IMSA’s Battle of the Bricks at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Meyer Shank Racing co-owner Mike Shank compared Schumacher to Felix Rosenqvist, who joined the team in 2024 after being released by Arrow McLaren.

Rosenqvist went four seasons without a win from 2021 to 2023, but finished in the top two in his final two seasons at Meyer Shank Racing and even won the closest Indianapolis 500 ever in May. With Rosenqvist returning to Arrow McLaren in 2027, Schumacher will replace him. Shank believes that Meyer Shank Racing is an ideal place for drivers who are underrated or undervalued, noting that they saw the potential in Rosenqvist despite his difficult year at RLL.

Schumacher, who had a mixed season in IndyCar but showed glimpses of great speed, will join the team and team up with Marcus Armstrong, who the team re-signed in July. The 27-year-old Schumacher will now pair up with Armstrong, who previously raced together for Prema Racing's Formula 3 team in 2018. Shank confirmed that Schumacher's contract is multiyear, and highlighted his impressive performance at the 2023 Indianapolis 500, where he finished 18th as the best rookie in the race.

Shank emphasized that they are looking for drivers like Schumacher who can compete in the Indy 500, even though the team cannot currently afford to pay $5 million per year. In the upcoming year, Meyer Shank Racing will deal with another driver decision as it will be affected by Honda’s new chartered entry for the 2028 season. The team will shift its focus to IndyCar and pause its participation in IMSA, with most of the IMSA staff joining the Honda Racing Corporation USA's research and development efforts for the 2028 IndyCar chassis.

The decision for the driver of the third full-time entry in 2028 will primarily be made by Honda, but Shank and co-owner Jim Meyer will work with Honda to find the right pilot for the team. For now, Schumacher will be part of Meyer Shank Racing's 2027 IndyCar season.