Mick Schumacher admits that he was not ready for IndyCar.

      Mick Schumacher's team, for which he competes in the American IndyCar series, is somewhat concerned about the difference in results between Graham Rahal and the two less experienced drivers, one of whom is the son of the seven-time world champion and a rookie this season.

      While Rahal finished on the podium last weekend, holding second place for almost the entire race at the Barber Motorsports Park road course but ultimately finishing third, Schumacher placed second to last, and young British driver Louis Foster, who has been collaborating with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (RLL) for the second year, finished last.

      At RLL, they still cannot understand the speed difference between Rahal's car, which he confidently qualified in third place, and the identical Dallara-Honda cars of his teammates, as Mick started from a distant 20th position and Foster from 22nd. Before the race, the team tried to apply the same settings to their cars as Rahal's, but it yielded no results.

      In the first four races of the season, Schumacher has not managed to finish higher than 18th place, and in three instances, he finished outside the top twenty and has to admit that his performance in the overseas series is clearly worse than he expected.

      "When I transitioned to IndyCar, my goal was results; I wanted to compete at the front, but this is a new championship for me, where most of the other drivers have been racing for several years," Mick explains on his YouTube channel. "They know these tracks and have studied these cars thoroughly. For me, everything is new, so naturally, I have to learn and adapt. Right now, that's the main thing, and I want to get settled as quickly as possible...

      Unfortunately, my first race in IndyCar ended very quickly, but we learned a lot, and that's the most important thing. I am in a completely new environment for me and constantly learning something new. I have long gotten used to pressure – the stronger it is, the better I feel. There are certainly many people trying to add to that pressure, but no matter what happens, I set the highest demands on myself...

      My first race on an oval was incredibly challenging. I wasn't prepared for it, even though I tried to set myself up and prepare correctly. It felt like there was chaos on the track, but once I found my rhythm, things started to improve, although I still need to catch up in many areas. Now that I have figured some things out, I act differently, and the next time we race on short ovals, this knowledge will come in handy.

      However, the next oval I will be racing on will be the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and the characteristics of this track are completely different, and I am facing real challenges there. But I feel ready for them and look forward to this race. Every time I get behind the wheel, I feel more comfortable, and everything is happening much more naturally now..."

      On one hand, Mick Schumacher acknowledges that he is having a tough time and blames no one for it but himself, which is good. On the other hand, in motorsport, results are the most important, and he is currently in last place, 25th in the personal standings.

      The fifth round of the IndyCar season will take place on April 19 at the California street circuit in Long Beach, and the next two rounds will be held at the legendary Indianapolis Motor Speedway. First, there will be a race on the version of the track that is considered a road course and only partially runs on the oval, and on May 24, the classic Indy 500 race will take place for the 110th time.