Content days marked the official beginning of the 2026 IndyCar season. The two days offered a glimpse into what we can expect and allowed drivers to reflect on last year. Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing drivers Graham Rahal, Louis Foster, and rookie Mick Schumacher shared their thoughts on the team’s progress and expectations for the year.

Louis Foster

While reflecting on his debut season, Louis Foster described how “a lot of different small, minute things” created a difficult rookie campaign. This year, he’s handing the rookie title to Mick Schumacher. Foster is looking forward to working with him and thinks “he’ll be fine” due to his single-seater experience in other series. Whilst they haven’t interacted a lot, the British driver thinks that Schumacher can bring knowledge from F1 and “new ideas” to help RLL improve.

Jay Frye became the team president nearly a year ago. When discussing his influence on RLL, Foster shared that basically everything he’s done has been rejuvenating: “He’s just working tirelessly to make this a better organisation.” Recently, Ryan Briscoe joined the team as a driver coach, and Foster shared how his input will be “extremely valuable to the team”. This is especially crucial when it comes to bridging the gap between engineers and drivers. 

When looking forward to 2026, Foster shared that the team will be focusing on oval track performance. IndyCar sees limited testing, and he feels like it’s “very difficult to get any useful information” on the oval tracks via simulator work. However, the team has ideas and will look to improve when and where it can. Personally, Foster will be looking to work on his pit stops and tyre management, as there’s “room for improvement” on his behalf in those areas.

Louis Foster and the team know where their shortfalls were in 2025. This year, they are “taking it step by step” to achieve their goals. He’s aiming to “focus on the big things” and feels like he’ll start the season on a “stronger foot” as he has “a lot more knowledge.” Ultimately, he’s “itching” to return to the track.  

Graham Rahal

Under Jay Frye’s leadership, engineer Gavin Ward has joined the team. Graham Rahal shared how Ward has already given RLL a “good direction“ and how he’s “excited to have [him].” In Rahal’s opinion, the team is at an “all-time high”, and Frye has brought “more stability“ from the top.

During the off-season, IndyCar announced an independent officiating system. Rahal may not have a “strong opinion” on the system, but he does believe that it “needs to be independent.” He hopes that they will give honest takes on situations and that they “see things through different lights“ with the aim of having more stability in the decisions.

Like Foster, Rahal admitted that oval tracks are the team’s Achilles’ heel and have been for years. It’s “easier said than done”, but the team are working on figuring it out. Focusing on the year ahead, he is looking to “maximise every opportunity”. Rahal is “confident that we won’t” face missteps throughout the year and feels as though the team has a “good opportunity to surprise” people in 2026.

Mick Schumacher

Schumacher is making his IndyCar debut this year as one of the three rookies on the grid. First up is the testing at Sebring, and Schumacher is “really looking forward to that and then taking it away from there.” So far, he has found the adjustment to IndyCar fine, and he’s focusing on “putting the dots together”. However, he is finding the metrics used “quite tough”.

For the ex-Formula 1 driver, his biggest challenge in 2026 will be oval racing.

“The challenges of it being so different and trying to understand what the high lines are. What the low lines are doing. What can we do in terms of aero disruptions from the front or the back? That’s all stuff that is very new to me.”

Despite that, he remains “curious and interested“ in learning how to race on ovals. He also credited his new teammate Rahal, saying he can “learn very much from him” because of his experience. An oval test and the Good Ranchers 250 at Phoenix Raceway will be a good chance to get to grips ahead of the Indy 500, giving Schumacher crucial “experience beforehand”.

Considering the major personnel changes RLL Racing have faced recently, their drivers remain positive for the season ahead. Schumacher believes that they are “all in the same boat”, and he’s excited to “see what the racing is going to be like”.

With a clear understanding of what they need to do and goals to achieve, RLL Racing is aiming for a more consistent year. They’ll be focusing on the little things and hoping that creates a big impact.

See more articles on drivers’ goals and teams’ outlooks for the 2026 IndyCar season here.