BBC Rising Star Award INSIDE TRACK Canadian Racing Competing At The Highest Levels of International Competition 2018 IndyCar Series season Rookie of the Year
Wickens left DTM after the 2017 season and signed to drive for Schmidt Peterson Motorsports in the 2018 IndyCar Series,[3] going on to claim pole position in his debut race at the 2018 St. Petersburg Grand Prix. His promising debut IndyCar season came to a premature end when a violent crash during the 500-mile race at Pocono left him a paraplegic.[4] Wickens issued a further statement clarifying that he was hopeful to be able to walk again, due to his spinal cord being bruised rather than completely severed and that he had felt 'some feeling and movement' back in his legs although the nerves were not in a state to walk. Though a paraplegic as of late October 2018, he hoped to be able to walk on his own within two years of the accident.[5]
In 2022, Wickens returned to full-time racing in the Michelin Pilot Challenge with Bryan Herta Autosport, driving a Hyundai car with adapted hand controls in the TCR category. He won the TCR drivers' championship in 2023 alongside his teammate, Harry Gottsacker.
Career
Karting
Wickens started his karting career in 2001 with wins in the Junior Heavy Marigold Fall Classic and the Junior Lite Iron Man Enduro. He was three-time champion of the Sunoco Ron Fellows Karting Championship in 2002, 2003, and 2005 in various classes. He also won races in ASN Canadian National Formula Junior, SKUSA ProMoto Tour, BeaveRun, PA, 80cc Junior OKRA Grand National, and Junior Heavy Mosport Grand Prix.
Formula BMW
In 2005, when he was sixteen years old, Wickens started his formula racing career. Thanks to Junior Scholarship from BMW, he participated in Formula BMW USA for Team Apex Racing USA. He scored five podiums including two wins, which brought him third place and best rookie's title. Also he competed in Formula BMW World Final, where he finished sixth.
Apart from involvement in the Formula Renault 3.5 Series, in 2008 Wickens competed in Formula 3 Euro Series with Signature-Plus, missing the Hockenheim, Mugello and Brands Hatch rounds. His best results came at the second, rainy races on the Norisring and Bugatti Circuit, where he won. Both times, due to insufficient distance covered, half points were awarded. He continued his participation in 2009, but switched to Kolles & Heinz Union and only competed in the Hockenheim and Dijon rounds, failing to score a point.
FIA Formula Two Championship
Wickens was the only North American driver in the revamped FIA Formula Two Championship for the 2009 season, driving car number 12.[10] Wickens dominated the opening race of the series, leading every lap from pole position to become the first driver since Philippe Streiff in September 1984 to win an international Formula Two race. He repeated that in race two, to lead the championship. However, those were his only two wins of the season, as he struggled with reliability later in the season. Despite five retirements, Wickens ended up as the runner-up in the championship, albeit 51 points behind runaway champion Andy Soucek.
Robert Wickens at the 2011 Nürburgring World series by Renault round
In November 2009 Wickens revealed that he had held "off the record" talks with several Formula 1 teams, and believe that his chances of driving in Formula 1 were increased by the fact that he is the only potential rookie North American driver who currently holds a valid FIA superlicence.[11]
In 2010 Wickens raced in the GP3 Series with Status Grand Prix.[12] After getting third place in Barcelona qualifying,[13] a good start and Nigel Melker retiring on the opening lap upped him to second place in the first race.[14] In the second race he started from seventh place and made his way up to fourth, which allowed him to lead the driver's standings.[15]
Formula Renault 3.5 Series
Wickens was crowned the champion of the series in 2011, after edging out teammate Jean-Éric Vergne at the final race.
Formula One
In June 2011, Wickens was signed by Virgin Racing as their official reserve driver.[16] He had his debut for the team in September, undertaking straight line testing at Variano, completing over 200km in the MVR-02.[17] At the 2011 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Wickens completed the first free practice session of the weekend.[18] Following conclusion of the season, he remained at the circuit for the young driver test competing for both Marussia Virgin Racing and the Lotus Renault GP team.[19][20]
DTM
On April 3, 2012, Mercedes announced the revival of the Mercedes-Benz Junior Team that has guided several notable drivers in their racing careers like Heinz-Harald Frentzen, Karl Wendlinger and Michael Schumacher. With that announcement came the news that Wickens, together with the Formula 3 Euro Series champion Roberto Merhi and DTM-sophomore Christian Vietoris, would become a part of the new Junior Team and that the three of them would drive for the Junior Team in the 2012 DTM season. In addition to that, 7-time F1 World Champion Michael Schumacher was involved with the three drivers by serving as a mentor. Wickens' entry into the DTM meant that he would be one of two Canadians in the drivers field, together with Bruno Spengler.[21]
IndyCar
Wickens car at Saint Petersburg in 2018 before the race.
It was announced in October 2017 that Wickens would be joining the team full-time for the 2018 season.[3]
He would go on to claim pole position in his debut qualifying session on March 10, 2018, for the 2018 Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.[23] After Wickens led the race for all but the last two laps, Alexander Rossi made a move for the lead and a racing incident ensued, taking Wickens out of the lead, which led to Sébastien Bourdais winning the race.[24]
He came in fifth at the July 11, 2018, Iowa Corn 300 race at Iowa Speedway, his fifth finish in the top five for the season to that date,[26] and finished the 85-lap Honda Indy Toronto race on July 15, 2018, in third place.[27] Later in the month, Wickens again finished second at Mid-Ohio only to Rossi this time. Wickens had climbed up to 6th place in the standings.
Pocono accident
Wickens crashed violently during the 2018 ABC Supply 500 at Pocono Raceway on August 19, 2018.[28] After a restart on lap 7, Wickens drew side by side with Ryan Hunter-Reay on the run down the back straight into turn 2. Neither driver backed out and they touched wheels, turning Hunter-Reay across the front of Wickens' car, which as a result then launched Wickens' car over the nose of Hunter-Reay's Andretti Autosport machine and into the catchfencing. Wickens' car broke apart upon impact with the catchfence, shearing all four tires and most of the car's bodywork from its chassis, although the drivers' safety cell remained intact. The cockpit's tub then spun off of the top of the SAFER barrier and landed back on the track and slid to a stop on the straight just beyond turn 2. The crash initiated a multi-car pile up which eliminated Hunter-Reay, Wickens' teammate James Hinchcliffe, Takuma Sato and Pietro Fittipaldi.[29] All were checked out by the on-site medical staff and required no further immediate treatment.[30]
The race was red flagged while Wickens was extricated from the car, with Indycar officials stating he was "awake and alert", before being transferred to hospital by helicopter. Subsequent reports indicated that Wickens was admitted to Lehigh Valley Hospital–Cedar Crest with fractures to his legs, spine and right forearm in addition to pulmonary contusion.[31][32] After an MRI scan, Wickens underwent spinal surgery to repair a thoracic spinal fracture on August 20; titanium rods and screws were inserted in his spine. Further surgeries were completed to treat fractures in his arm and legs.[33] On August 31, Wickens was transferred to Indiana University Health Methodist Hospital for further surgery on his legs.[34][35] On September 7, 2018, the Wickens family announced the full extent of Robert's injuries: a thoracic spinal fracture, a neck fracture, tibia and fibula fractures to both legs, fractures in both hands, a fractured right forearm, a fractured elbow, four fractured ribs, a pulmonary contusion, and an indeterminate spinal injury.[36] While at a rehab facility in Colorado, Wickens revealed in late October he was a paraplegic as a result of the crash.[37]
Several factors helped Wickens survive: he ducked down so his head did not hit any solid object, the cockpit did not strike the steel pole, and forces of the impact were dissipated in the destruction of the car, sparing Wickens.[35][38]
Wickens' car was withdrawn from the Bommarito Automotive Group 500, while teammate James Hinchcliffe, also involved in the accident, was cleared to race.[39] The No. 6 car did return to the track at Portland with Carlos Muñoz behind the wheel of the car. In a press release on September 6, owners Sam Schmidt and Ric Peterson said: "the 6 is his when he comes back". The second car was renumbered to 7 for the 2019 season where Marcus Ericsson drove the car. Despite this press statement, the No. 6 car did make a brief return during the 2022 season, when it was driven by Juan Pablo Montoya at Indianapolis before making a full return to the sport from 2023 onwards.
Despite missing the final three races of the 2018 season, Wickens had already collected enough points to earn the 2018 IndyCar Rookie of the Year award.[40]
Recovery
On 21 November 2018, Wickens published a video of him walking a few steps with machine assistance during his rehab, showcasing the movement of his legs.[41]
On 30 January 2019, Wickens published another video showing him riding a spin bike on his own and without any assistance.[42]
On 8 July 2019, Wickens announced he would be driving the parade lap for the Honda Indy Toronto, using hand controls.[43]
On 5 May 2021, 989 days after the accident at Pocono, Wickens drove a race car again, testing the #54 Hyundai Veloster N TCR with Bryan Herta Autosport at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Outfitted with hand controls, normally raced by paralyzed team driver Michael Johnson, Wickens wasted no time adapting to the set-up and was up to pace within a number of laps, proving his speed and ability to race again.
On 14 January 2022, it was announced that Wickens will compete in the 2022 Michelin Pilot Challenge with Bryan Herta Autosport. This was Wickens' first return to racing since his accident at Pocono.[47] In his first race at Daytona, Wickens and co-driver Mark Wilkins scored a podium with a third-place finish. On 25 June 2022, Wickens and Wilkins won the TCR class of the Michelin Pilot Challenge race at Watkins Glen International, Wickens' first race victory since 2017. He then followed this up with a win at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in the following race. At the end of the season, Wickens finished in 6th place in the Touring Car (TCR) Drivers' championship.
Wickens remained in the team for 2023, paired with Harry Gottsacker. A consistent season with several podium finishes saw the pair claim the TCR championship at the last race in Road Atlanta.
During the first race of the 2024 Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie at the Nordschleife, Wickens was involved in an accident driving a Hyundai Elantra N, approximately half way through the 4 hour event at the Döttinger Höhe section of the circuit. The crash required him to be taken immediately to a nearby hospital from the circuit. His team, Bryan Herta Autosport, released a statement confirming Wickens was conscious and would spend the night under precautionary observation.[48]
Wickens is the son of Tim and Lisa, and has an older brother - Trevor - who operated Hamilton based kart racing team Prime Powerteam. Wickens cited he was fascinated by the movie Days of Thunder as a child.[51] On 28 September 2019, Wickens married Toronto native Karli Woods a Canadian YouTuber and Cosplayer in a ceremony held at Carmel, Indiana.[52][53] In July 2022, the pair had their first child Wesley Joseph.[54]
† Driver retired, but was classified as they completed 75% of the winner's race distance.
Related Research Articles
Takuma Sato, nicknamed "Taku", is a Japanese professional racing driver. He competes part-time in the IndyCar Series, driving the No. 75 Honda for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. Sato is a two-time winner of the Indianapolis 500, having won the event in 2017 and 2020. He was the first Asian driver to win the Indianapolis 500, and the twentieth driver to win the race more than once. Before winning the Indianapolis 500, Sato became the first Japanese-born driver to win an IndyCar Series race when he won the 2013 Grand Prix of Long Beach.
The IndyCar Series operation of McLaren, competing as Arrow McLaren IndyCar Team due to sponsorship, is based in Indianapolis and was founded by former IndyCar driver Sam Schmidt in 2001 as Sam Schmidt Motorsports. The team operates the Nos. 5, 6 and 7 Dallara-Chevrolet entries for Pato O'Ward, David Malukas and Alexander Rossi respectively.
James Jakes is a British racing driver.
The GP3 Series, or GP3 for short, was a single-seater motor racing series launched in 2010 as a feeder series for the GP2 Series, introduced by GP2 organiser Bruno Michel. GP3 followed the entire European leg of the Formula One series and the GP2 series as a support race for the two. Like the GP2 series, GP3 gave drivers the experience of the Grand Prix environment, and took advantage of the infrastructure, such as marshals and medical facilities, in place for the Formula One events. GP3 Series mainly raced on European circuits, but had appearances on other international race tracks, with rounds in the 2015 season at the Bahrain International Circuit in Bahrain and the Yas Marina Circuit in United Arab Emirates.
Stefano Coletti is a Monégasque professional racing driver who raced for SMP Racing in the European Le Mans Series. His sister Alexandra Coletti is an alpine skier. He is the first Monégasque driver since Louis Chiron (1931) to have won a race in Monaco.
Alexander Michael Rossi is an American racing driver. He competes full-time in the IndyCar Series, driving the No. 7 Chevrolet for Arrow McLaren. Rossi is best known for winning the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500 as a rookie in 2016. Prior to the move to McLaren, Rossi drove for Andretti Autosport for seven seasons.
The 2010 GP3 Series season was the first season of the GP3 Series, a feeder series for the GP2 Series. The championship was contested over sixteen races held at eight rounds, beginning on 8 May at Circuit de Catalunya and ending on 12 September at Autodromo Nazionale Monza. Ten teams were announced, running three cars each.
Jean-Éric Serge Raymond Vergne, also known by his initials of JEV, is a French racing driver who competes in the FIA Formula E Championship with DS Penske. He became the 2017–18 ABB Formula E Champion, after clinching fifth in the New York ePrix in 2018, and he became the first Formula E driver to win two consecutive championships after his repeat success in the 2018–19 season. He competed in Formula One for Scuderia Toro Rosso from 2012 to 2014, and was a Ferrari test and development driver from 2015 to 2016. He won the British Formula 3 Championship in 2010 and then finished runner up to teammate Robert Wickens in the 2011 Formula Renault 3.5 Series season.
Nico Sebastian Müller is a Swiss professional racing driver. He is currently competing in the FIA World Endurance Championship for Peugeot Sport and in Formula E for ABT Cupra.
Carlos Andrés Muñoz is a professional racing driver from Colombia. He last drove for Schmidt Peterson Motorsports part-time in the IndyCar Series in 2018. He has twice finished second in the Indianapolis 500, during his rookie year in 2013 and in 2016.
Conor J. Daly is an American racing driver. He is best known for competing in the IndyCar Series, last driving the No. 60 Honda for Meyer Shank Racing. He also competes occasionally in NASCAR, and has also raced in the GP2 Series, and Road to Indy.
Gabriel "Gabby" Chaves is a Colombian-American racing driver, currently competing in the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and the Michelin Pilot Challenge. He raced in the IndyCar Series and is the 2014 Indy Lights Champion.
Alfonso Celis Enecoiz, known as Alfonso Celis Jr., is a Mexican former racing driver.
Callum Benjamin Ilott is a British racing driver currently competing in the 2024 FIA World Endurance Championship racing for Jota Sport in the Hypercar category.
Santino Michael Ferrucci is an American racing driver. He competes in the IndyCar Series, driving the No 14 Chevrolet for A.J. Foyt Racing. He has also previously raced in the FIA Formula 2 Championship.
Jack Anthony Han-Aitken is a British-South Korean racing driver who currently competes for Action Express Racing in the IMSA SportsCar Championship and for Emil Frey Racing in the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters. He was a former reserve driver for Williams Racing in Formula One, having previously been part of the Renault Sport Academy and Williams Driver Academy.
The 2017 Verizon IndyCar Series was the 22nd season of the Verizon IndyCar Series and the 106th official championship season of American open wheel racing. The premier event was the 101st Indianapolis 500 won by Takuma Sato. Josef Newgarden, the 2011 Indy Lights champion, in his sixth full-time season in the IndyCar Series, won the championship. It was Newgarden's first season as part of Team Penske, and he collected four wins, one pole position, and ten top-five finishes. It was Team Penske's 15th Indy car season championship, and third in four years.
Anthoine Gérard Pol Hubert was a French professional racing driver. He was the 2018 GP3 Series champion and a member of the Renault Sport Academy. He died following an accident during the feature race of the 2019 Spa-Francorchamps Formula 2 round at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps.
The 2018 FIA Formula 2 Championship was the fifty-second season of the second-tier of Formula One feeder championship and also second season under the moniker of FIA Formula 2 Championship, a motor racing championship for Formula 2 cars that is sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). It is an open-wheel racing category that serves as the second tier of formula racing in the FIA Global Pathway. The category run in support of the 2018 FIA Formula One World Championship, with each of the twelve rounds running in conjunction with a Grand Prix. It was the first FIA Formula 2 season to feature a new chassis and engine package.
The 2018 ABC Supply 500 was the 14th round of the 2018 IndyCar Series season. The race was held on August 19 at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pennsylvania. The race served as the 14th round of the 2018 IndyCar Series season. 2018 Indy 500 champion Will Power qualified on pole position, while 2016 Indy 500 champion Alexander Rossi took victory in the 200-lap race.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
