Wickens expected to make cockpit return this week

Robert Wickens is expected to make a return to the cockpit this week and turn his first laps at speed since suffering injuries to his spinal cord and other areas in a 2018 crash at the Pocono NTT IndyCar Series event. IMSA has scheduled a press conference with the Canadian ace on Tuesday, and no additional details have been offered.

Wickens has been actively pursuing the chance to resume his driving career with the use of hand controls, looking to open-wheel and sports cars as options while he continues the rehabilitation process aimed at regaining full use of his legs.

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Prior to the Pocono crash, Wickens was on his way to stardom in IndyCar, having qualified on pole for his first race, earned two second-place finishes, and seven runs inside the top five from 14 starts as a rookie with what is now Arrow McLaren SP.

Wickens spent the years preceding his IndyCar move working up the junior open-wheel ladder, winning the Formula BMW USA championship in 2006 and the European Formula Renault 3.5 Series title in 2011. With no options to continue moving towards Formula 1, he shifted his attention to the DTM from 2012-2017, earning a best championship finish of fourth in 2016 as part of Mercedes' factory line-up. Wickens also made one IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship start with Starworks Motorsport in the LMPC class in 2017 at the Rolex 24 At Daytona.