Canadian racer Robert Wickens doesn’t recall anything about the 2018 IndyCar accident that left him paralyzed, but he definitely remembers waking up and being determined to race again and battle for championships.
After returning to the cockpit with Bryan Herta Autosport in the 2022 International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) Michelin Pilot Challenge and showing immediate speed in his hand-controlled Hyundai Elantra, Wickens achieved his goal of a title by winning the 2023 TCR Class championship.
“There was a lot of emotion and a lot of positives really all year just fighting for a championship again,” said Wickens, who suffered multiple broken bones and a spinal cord injury in a violent accident while driving for Arrow McLaren in the IndyCar ABC Supply 500 at Pocono Raceway in August of 2018.
“It was just such a pleasure constantly fighting for podiums and wins and that’s the exact reason why I wanted to return to racing,” Wickens continued. “There are a lot of different elements, but I think being injured at such a high level of motorsport like IndyCar means there’s that desire to compete and get back to that level.”
After the 34-year-old from Guelph, ON, took two wins in his TCR first season with teammate and fellow Canadian Mark Wilkins in 2022, Wickens only got better in 2023 as he fine-tuned his hand control skills. The braking system that sees Wickens squeeze a ring on the back the steering wheel to slow the car continues to a specific area that needs work.
“My hands can’t squeeze with the same pressure that an able-bodied driver can with their legs, so we have a pneumatic actuator to help me push the brake pedal,” said Wickens. “There’s various levels of disconnect there because the assistance is not instantaneous — halfway through the brake squeeze, you get a different sensation and that took a lot to get used to. I’m constantly just trying to replicate the able-bodied brake pedal feel that I grew so used to in all my years of karting and then car racing.”
Despite the challenges, Wickens and teammate Harry Gottsacker battled for wins on almost every weekend, but the 2023 title came without the pair driving their Hyundai Elantra into victory lane.
“We never won to race but we had six second place finishes and seven podiums in 10 races, so it was a strong year. The goal is always to win the championship and we knew that consistency was always going to be important,” he said.
Fighting for wins
“We also missed a couple opportunities, but what really kind of put us in championship contention was that we just kept being there. We were still fighting for the wins even in races that really didn’t suit us or our car. A couple of times, I was leading the race in the final five minutes and we had to settle for second place.”
No matter how you slice it, Wickens’ journey from being paralyzed that he documenting on social media for all to see to his return to driving competitively left many in awe of his determination and resilience. His close friend and IndyCar teammate at the time of the accident, James Hinchcliffe, followed Wickens’ journey from Day 1 and saw the obstacles he overcame.
“What Robbie has done since getting back in the car is equal parts astonishingly inspiring and completely expected,” said Hinchcliffe, now a motorsport commentator for NBC and F1TV. “His desire to race and his drive to win never wavered from that first race, which was a podium finish, to the first win and now a championship. That guy never ceases to amaze me. And I know it’s just the beginning.”
While he’ll return to Byran Herta Autosport to defend his TCR title in 2024, Wickens said he’s exploring the possibility of moving to a new challenge, and some dots seem to be connecting nicely.
For example, Wickens continues to serve as an advisor to the Arrow McLaren IndyCar team, Canadian outfit Pfaff Motorsports announced that it will be the manufacturer-backed McLaren entry in the IMSA GTD Pro Class in 2024, Hinchcliffe signed to drive the Pfaff 720S GT3 Evo in the longer races next year, and adapting hand controls to a GTD Car would be pretty straightforward.
“I think that ship sailed for 2024, but I love people that Pfaff. I worked with them throughout the pandemic in eSports and I got to know them quite well. I think it would be a great fit, so we’re going to keep working and see what we can do,” Wickens said.
“Right now, the hand control system that I’m using now is almost at its ceiling in the TCR category and the Hyundai Elantra, and we really just need more room to grow. I’m an impatient racing driver, so I want to get as high up as quickly as possible and try to find any opportunity I can.”
- By Jeff Pappone
