For 1996, Schumacher's manager Willi Weber secured him a seat in the Formula Nippon Series, driving for the Team Le Mans alongside experienced driver Naoki Hattori.
En 1996, o manager de Schumacher Willi Weber aseguroulle un asento na tempada de 1996 da Fórmula Nippon, pilotando para o Team Le Mans xunto ao experimentado piloto Naoki Hattori.