After suffering its worst season in team history, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (RLL) has worked hard over the winter to come back stronger in 2026. Behind the wheel, Devlin DeFrancesco has been replaced by Mick Schumacher, Louis Foster – who impressed in qualifying last year – now enters his second season with more experience, and Graham Rahal begins his fourteenth year with the team.

RLL has also implemented several major structural changes:

Former IndyCar president Jay Frye was appointed team manager last year

Ryan Briscoe joined from Prema as driver coach

Ex IndyCar executive Bryan Barnhart became chief operating officer

Mike Pawlowski (former Andretti Autosport and Forsythe Racing) was hired as race engineer for Mick Schumacher

For Graham Rahal, these sweeping changes may represent his final opportunity to return to form in the IndyCar Series. At 37, the American veteran has seen his results decline sharply – from 2015 through 2021 he finished inside the top 10 every season, but then slid to eleventh, fifteenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth. In 2025, he managed just three top ten finishes – the only ones for RLL’s full time drivers. The team hopes its winter overhaul will reverse that trend.

“A lot happened this off season,” Rahal said. “I’m excited about what we’ve seen and learned. I think we’ll be strong again on road and street courses, like last year. For me, the key thing is getting back on the podium, scoring more top fives, and maximizing every opportunity. I’m confident we won’t repeat last year’s mistakes. We’ve got a great group of guys and gals and strategically we’ve taken a step forward. We’ve got a real chance to surprise some people this year.”

Louis Foster drew attention for his qualifying speed last year. As a rookie, he started six of 17 races inside the top 10 – including a sensational pole at Road America – but often faded during races and failed to record a single top ten finish. With a season’s experience under his belt, Foster now targets top tens, podiums, and even race wins in 2026.

“I’m looking forward to getting back into the swing of things,” Foster said. “I’m going into the season with ten times more knowledge than last year. We can start much stronger, especially in races. Honestly, I want to finish where I start instead of sliding back – that was our weakness last year. Our goal is to win at least one race and stand on the podium multiple times, with both cars if possible. With the time and effort we’ve put in, there’s no reason we can’t achieve that.”

By signing Mick Schumacher, the team hasn’t just added another rookie – it’s added one with substantial racing experience. The former Formula 1 driver sees IndyCar as the perfect next step in his career, though the challenge is considerable, as he’s unfamiliar with all circuits and has no oval experience.

“I’m very excited about racing in the IndyCar Series,” Schumacher said. “The adjustment’s been good – it’s just about connecting all the dots. The team’s been fantastic in helping me do that, and the engineers and car guys are amazing. I think we’re in a great place to start the season on the right foot. I’m eager to build a team around me and gain experience. It’s great joining an organization that knows exactly where it wants to go – and I do too. If we align those goals, we can quickly bring things to a very strong, comfortable place.”