The crash was horrifying.
Throughout a 2018 IndyCar race, the wheels of Robert Wickens’ automobile clipped these of Ryan Hunter-Reay’s automobile, launching Wickens airborne and into the fencing surrounding Pocono Raceway. Among the many accidents Wickens suffered had been a thoracic spinal fracture, a neck fracture, tibia and fibula fractures to each legs, fractures in each palms, 4 fractured ribs and a pulmonary contusion. He additionally had a spinal wire damage that left him paralyzed from the waist down.
On the time, Wickens was on the cusp of stardom in considered one of motorsports’ premier collection. That yr, he had seven top-five finishes in 14 races, completed ninth within the Indianapolis 500 and received IndyCar’s Rookie of the 12 months honor. These accidents lower brief a promising IndyCar profession and will’ve meant Wickens’ days as an expert race automobile driver had been over. However that thought by no means crossed the now 36-year-old’s thoughts.
“I assumed I used to be going to make the primary (IndyCar) race in March the next yr,” Wickens stated. “We had been all the time speaking about what (racing) would appear like if I used hand controls. It was by no means a query; it was a query of ‘How? The place?’ I knew it was one thing that was doable.”
Wickens, who regained some use of his legs however lacks the total functionality to make use of them whereas driving, returned to aggressive racing a bit over three years after the accident, utilizing a hand-controlled throttle and braking system to regulate the automobiles. He competed within the IMSA Michelin Pilot Problem, and in 2023, he captured the drivers’ championship.
And he isn’t performed. A brand new chapter begins this weekend when he strikes into a fair larger stage of racing by competing within the IMSA SportsCar Championship in a race by means of the streets of Lengthy Seaside, Calif. He’ll co-drive a Chevrolet Corvette fielded by DXDT Racing within the extremely aggressive GTD class, going towards Mercedes, Ferrari, Porsche and different top-flight unique sports activities automobiles.
Wickens might be on the grid at Lengthy Seaside due partially to an electrical hand-controlled throttle and braking system, developed by Bosch and Pratt Miller, that he’s been in a position to make the most of since returning to racing.
With out it, Wickens’ driving profession would’ve seemingly led to August 2018. Nonetheless, the system has confirmed to be an equalizer, permitting him to compete on a principally stage subject. And continued technological refinements by Bosch over the previous few years have narrowed the efficiency hole between a automobile operated by hand controls and one operated by conventional pedals.
Robert Wickens’ customized steering wheel provides him the power to regulate his Corvette race automobile — throttle, brakes and all — completely by hand. (Courtesy of Chevrolet Racing)
The hand management operates like comparable programs that may be put in in highway automobiles, besides this one has been extra fine-tuned to permit Wickens to drive nearly as if he had been utilizing the throttle and brake by foot. He can frivolously faucet the brake whereas turning and thereby carry larger pace by means of the corners.
“One of the best factor about my new system with Bosch is that the tuning can occur within the background as a result of that is an digital braking system,” Wickens stated. “So if I would like extra brake sensation or much less braking sensation, I can both have a button on the steering wheel that I tune out of brake strain that I get to use to the brakes.
“The outdated system that I used to be utilizing after I first began, the system was a really mechanical system the place there’s a bunch of linkages and levers that simply pushed the able-bodied brake pedal down, however I might squeeze one thing with my hand up by the steering wheel. … The downfall of that’s there was loads of latency in that system and loads of inconsistency.”
As a result of Wickens and fellow driver Tommy Milner should commerce off driving the Corvette, Bosch needed to develop a simple solution to change between Milner utilizing pedals and Wickens the hand controls.
“It’s fairly spectacular,” Milner stated. “There’s only one button that both of us has to push to place it within the mode that we would like and that switches all of the programs over inside a second.”
As soon as Wickens was dedicated to racing once more, the problem of navigating the expense and lack of accessibility solely additional sophisticated the endeavor. Discovering ample sponsorship is commonly problematic sufficient in racing; Wickens additionally needed to persuade a workforce proprietor to put in a hand-control system of their automobile.
“There are folks racing all around the world with disabilities,” Robert Wickens stated. “I’m simply lucky that I had a platform to point out my progress.” (David Rosenblum / Icon Sportswire by way of Getty Pictures)
Having gone by means of the method himself, Wickens wish to see such options extra available in commercially produced autos. Simply as producers use auto racing to develop expertise that may be utilized to passenger autos, Wickens needs to see the identical precept utilized to hand-controlled programs to make it each handy and cost-effective.
“I sort of have naive desires of considering that there may very well be a Robert Wickens steering wheel that may simply match into each highway automobile on the earth,” he stated. “I’m imagining it’s like, ‘Oh, yeah, simply plug it in like a USB or one thing and also you’re in your manner.’ However I do know that that’s simply not the way it works. …
“The truth is, proper now, after I’m driving on the highway and I need to make a lane change, for instance, I’ve to consciously over-speed as a result of after I take my hand off the throttle to placed on my flip sign, I decelerate, and my hand isn’t on the throttle. Then, I’ve to sign and put my hand again on the throttle, make the lane change, after which take my hand off the throttle to cease your sign. It’s simply loads of further steps.”
Lengthy Seaside is the primary of 5 occasions in 2025 through which Wickens will drive the DXDT Racing Corvette entry. Plans past this season are nonetheless being decided. He’s open to securing a full-time trip within the IMSA SportsCar Championship if the chance arises. He’d additionally prefer to race once more within the Indianapolis 500.
Wickens downplays the concept that he’s an inspiration, however those that know him marvel at how he’s refused to let go of his dream of being an expert driver when he had each cause to give up. He additionally needs to assist others going through an identical scenario.
“I personally don’t really feel like I’m an inspiration to anyone, however I’m all the time sort of humbled when folks inform me that I’m,” Wickens stated. “After I used to be paralyzed and out of my medical-induced coma, I used to be attempting to know what life I had. I used to be simply working laborious to attempt getting myself and my spouse the very best quality of life doable.
“There are folks racing all around the world with disabilities. I’m simply lucky that I had a platform to point out my progress the place others won’t.”
(Prime picture of Robert Wickens: Courtesy of Chevrolet Racing)