DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Bryan Herta wants Robert Wickens to start the Indianapolis 400 for the first time in 2024 — a year longer than his preferred job as the paraplegic driver’s control arm continues.
Wickens suffered a spinal cord injury in a crash at Pocono Raceway during his 2018 IndyCar rookie season. Arrow McLaren IndyCar team with, but He returned to racing last year with Bryan Herta Autosport and Hyundai in IMSA Michelin Driver Challenge.
33 years old Canadian He won a pair of races Driving the Hyundai Elantra N-TCR that is Wickens’ fit for the race strictly by hand control. Herta said Thursday that perfecting the technology for Indy cars in the world’s biggest race events slowed down the decision he made to play with Wickens.
“I would like to bring Robbie back to Indy because I know he can do it and I think he will be next on the road,” Herta told The Associated Press.
Herta Honda said the process is supportive.
“We looked at doing it this year, but the logistics of it, the timing, wasn’t enough,” said Herta. “That you can’t rush something. There are some things in IndyCar that we have to work very closely and get things just right. It’s a process, but I can see a way to it.”
Wickens, when told by his boss that D Indy was openly disputing, laughed widely. Herta won the Indianapolis 500 as a team owner with Dan Wheldon and Alexander Rossi.
“That’s going to be fun,” he said of the Indy 500 race.
But as Hertha, Wickens said that the work is done properly and the competition is there.
“You want us to do it right. If we start now, are we ready to take the car for an open test in April? Probably, AP told Wickens. “But I don’t know where the systems would be and I want to get the proper simulators to confirm correctly.
“We all want to do a proper, professional job,” he added. “I don’t want to do it for a marketing campaign. I want to make it possible to win.”
Wickens did a demonstration in 2021 in Canada, which gave him marketing promotions for paralyzed drivers and gave him another chance to drive. His entire career had led to 14 races in his Rookie IndyCar season, just three months after he won top Rookie honors in the Indianapolis 500.
Wickens has since gotten married, returned to racing and welcomed the birth of his first child, a son named Wesley, who is infatuated with cars of both races and took a trip to Disney this week for days off Daytona International Speedway.
Wickens, who uses a car but can stand with some assistance, marks a full year of racing on Friday in the season-opening IMSA Michelin Driver’s Challenge race. Despite the success last season, Hertha made changes to their lineup and Wickens will be joined by Harry Gottsacker this year.
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