1. Robert Tyler Wickens was born on March 13,1989 and is a Canadian racing driver from Guelph, Ontario, driving in the Sprint Cup of the IMSA SportsCar Championship for DXDT Racing.
47 Facts About Robert Wickens
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Robert Wickens left DTM after the 2017 season and signed to drive for Schmidt Peterson Motorsports in the 2018 IndyCar Series, going on to claim pole position in his debut race at the 2018 St Petersburg Grand Prix.
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Robert Wickens's promising debut IndyCar season came to a premature end when a violent crash during the 500-mile race at Pocono left him a paraplegic.
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Robert 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.
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In 2022, Robert 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.
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Robert Wickens won the TCR drivers' championship in 2023 alongside his teammate, Harry Gottsacker.
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Robert Wickens started his karting career in 2001 with wins in the Junior Heavy Marigold Fall Classic and the Junior Lite Iron Man Enduro.
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Robert Wickens was three-time champion of the Sunoco Ron Fellows Karting Championship in 2002,2003, and 2005 in various classes.
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Robert Wickens won races in ASN Canadian National Formula Junior, SKUSA ProMoto Tour, BeaveRun, PA, 80cc Junior OKRA Grand National, and Junior Heavy Mosport Grand Prix.
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In 2005, when he was sixteen years old, Robert Wickens started his formula racing career.
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Robert Wickens scored five podiums including two wins, which brought him third place and best rookie's title.
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Robert Wickens remained in the series in 2006 for the same team, but after few races switched to the EuroInternational, because he became a Red Bull Junior Team driver.
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Besides repeat appearance in Formula BMW World Final, Robert Wickens was guest driver at the Nurburgring Formula BMW ADAC round, which was a support race for the Formula One European Grand Prix.
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Robert Wickens took one win and another three podiums and was third in season standings, yielding Raphael Matos and Franck Perera.
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Robert Wickens claimed one win at Silverstone and finished season on the twelfth place with 55 points.
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Apart from involvement in the Formula Renault 3.5 Series, in 2008 Robert Wickens competed in Formula 3 Euro Series with Signature-Plus, missing the Hockenheim, Mugello and Brands Hatch rounds.
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Robert Wickens was the only North American driver in the revamped FIA Formula Two Championship for the 2009 season, driving car number 12.
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Robert 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.
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Robert Wickens repeated that in race two, to lead the championship.
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In November 2009 Robert 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.
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In 2010 Robert Wickens raced in the GP3 Series with Status Grand Prix.
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Robert Wickens was crowned the champion of the series in 2011, after edging out teammate Jean-Eric Vergne at the final race.
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In June 2011, Robert Wickens was signed by Virgin Racing as their official reserve driver.
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At the 2011 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Robert Wickens completed the first free practice session of the weekend.
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In June 2017, Robert Wickens joined Schmidt Peterson Motorsports for the IndyCar Series' Kohler Grand Prix at Road America.
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Robert Wickens 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.
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In May 2018, Robert Wickens was awarded Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year honors after leading two laps and finishing ninth during the race.
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Robert Wickens 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, and finished the 85-lap Honda Indy Toronto race on July 15,2018, in third place.
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Later in the month, Robert Wickens again finished second at Mid-Ohio only to Rossi this time.
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Robert Wickens had climbed up to 6th place in the standings.
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Robert Wickens crashed violently during the 2018 ABC Supply 500 at Pocono Raceway on August 19,2018.
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Robert 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.
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The race was red flagged while Robert Wickens was extricated from the car, with Indycar officials stating he was "awake and alert", before being transferred to hospital by helicopter.
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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.
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Several factors helped Robert 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 Robert Wickens.
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Robert Wickens' car was withdrawn from the Bommarito Automotive Group 500, while teammate James Hinchcliffe, involved in the accident, was cleared to race.
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On 21 November 2018, Robert Wickens published a video of him walking a few steps with machine assistance during his rehab, showcasing the movement of his legs.
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On 30 January 2019, Robert Wickens published another video showing him riding a spin bike on his own and without any assistance.
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On 8 July 2019, Robert Wickens announced he would be driving the parade lap for the Honda Indy Toronto, using hand controls.
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Robert Wickens competed in the virtual 24 hours of Le Mans.
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On 14 January 2022, it was announced that Robert Wickens will compete in the 2022 Michelin Pilot Challenge with Bryan Herta Autosport.
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Robert Wickens then followed this up with a win at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in the following race.
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Robert Wickens remained in the team for 2023, paired with Harry Gottsacker.
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Robert Wickens raced in the 2020 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual with Mahle Racing alongside DTM racer Ferdinand Zvonimir von Habsburg and sim racers Jimmy Broadbent and Kevin Rotting in the GTE Class with the Aston Martin Vantage GTE.
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Robert Wickens is the son of Tim and Lisa, and has an older brother - Trevor - who operated Hamilton based kart racing team Prime Powerteam.
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Robert Wickens cited he was fascinated by the movie Days of Thunder as a child.
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On 28 September 2019, Robert Wickens married Toronto native Karli Woods a Canadian YouTuber and Cosplayer in a ceremony held at Carmel, Indiana.