MOTORSPORT GREATS ROBERT WICKENS
As Wayne Rainey caused eyes to dampen at Goodwood, another racer struck down by a spinal injury was achieving his own remarkable landmark on the other side of the Atlantic. Robert Wickens was a talented single-seater racer who shone on the European junior scene before switching successfully to the DTM with Mercedes-AMG. Then in 2018, the Canadian turned to Indycar, where he looked certain to become an established frontrunner, until a crash on the Pocono oval changed his life forever.
Valkyrie has 1160bhp 6.5-litre V12, weighs only about 1200kg
Now 33, he can stand only with the help of a frame, but that hasn’t stopped him from returning to motorsport – and now he’s a winner again, too. At Watkins Glen, he shared a Hyundai Elantra N with compatriot Mark Wilkins in a two-hour endurance race, the pair claiming victory in the TCR class. Wickens, who uses hand controls for the throttle and brakes, took the start from fourth on the grid, worked his way into the lead and extended his advantage before handing over to Wilkins to complete the job. It marked a first race win for Wickens since a DTM race in 2017. He stands as an example of the indomitable spirit that sport can inspire.
RACING LINES
A few days before the Red Bull RB17 hypercar project came to light, it seemed a fitting time to experience chief engineer Adrian Newey’s already extant expression of Formula 1 performance in an allegedly accessible form.