Red Bull adviser Helmut Marko believes a move to IndyCar would be a "good step" for Mick Schumacher, who has been unable to find his way back to a full-time seat in F1.
However, the Austrian has been quick to point out how "dangerous" the United States-based series is when it takes to oval circuits.
Schumacher last raced in F1 in 2022, the second of his two years with Haas. Since then, he has held a reserve role with Mercedes and competed for Alpine in endurance racing, dovetailing them for a period.
With no doors opening in the F1 paddock for a full-time drive at either, and newcomers Cadillac only interested in his services in support of Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas, he has decided now is the time to look further afield.
A recent test with IndyCar outfit Rahal Letterman Lanigan (RLL) went well. However, it is unlikely to result in a seat for the 2026 campaign, as the team's three cars are already committed to Graham Rahal, Devlin DeFrancesco and Louis Foster.
But it has nevertheless given the 26-year-old a foothold in the series for the future. Speaking to sport.de, Marko was positive about the prospect for Schumacher, saying: "The series is a good series, it's very competitive...
"A good step for the German; he had a very encouraging test there. If he feels comfortable in America, learns the oval tricks – and he'll need a few races for that – then it will certainly go well."
He reflected on the success seven-time grand prix winner Juan Pablo Montoya enjoyed in IndyCar, having come to F1 in 2001, the year after winning the Indy 500.
However, Marko also had a word of warning for Schumacher, pointing out the extreme risks that accompany racing on oval circuits.
"That would be too dangerous for me," the 82-year-old said. "At an average speed of up to 340 km/h, there's a risk of serious accidents. In such a case, it's usually a major crash."
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