Here Are the Injuries IndyCar Star Robert Wickens Suffered During Vicious Pocono Crash

The list of injuries released by the team includes multiple fractures to the spinal cord and neck.
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Schmidt Peterson Motorsports released its eighth medical update on Robert Wickens since his violent crash at Pocono Raceway on Aug. 19. The detailed update includes a list of injuries and confirms that the Canadian racing driver underwent additional surgeries on his legs and hands this week.

Wickens was transferred from the Lehigh Valley Hospital in Allenstown, Pennsylvania to the IU Health Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis, Indiana on Aug. 30. The team claims that his condition has been monitored around the clock and that the extent of his injuries is still unknown. The release goes on to say “it could take weeks or months for the full effects of the injury to be known due to stress,” according to physicians.

These are the injuries confirmed by Schmidt Peterson and the Wickens family:

  • Thoracic spinal fracture
  • Spinal cord injury
  • Neck fracture
  • Tibia and fibula fractures to both legs
  • Fractures in both hands
  • Fractured right forearm
  • Fractured elbow
  • Four fractured ribs
  • Pulmonary contusion

“We want to thank everyone for the outpouring of love, prayers and positive energy that has been sent our way since Robert’s accident,” the Wickens family said. “We are blown away by the strength of this IndyCar community and the support within it. While Robert’s recovery and rehabilitation continue over the coming weeks and months, your loving messages will certainly be a source of encouragement for him.”

According to the statement, Wickens will be transferred to an Indianapolis area rehabilitation center in the coming days, where he will initiate his long recovery process. Meanwhile, Carlos Muñoz of Colombia has been hired to finish the 2018 IndyCar season, although the team reiterates that the seat belongs to Wickens and Wickens only.

“While Robert continues his recovery, we want to make it clear that the No. 6 entry is for Robert Wickens and him only. No matter the amount of time it takes for his full recovery, we will hold that seat for him. Carlos Muñoz, the named driver for the last two events on the 2018 calendar is doing a great job for us to keep the No. 6 owner championship points alive, and we very much appreciate all the hard work he’s putting into helping us finish the season.”

“The road to Robert’s recovery will be a long and tough one, but we hope you’ll be alongside us cheering him on. BETTER. STRONGER. FASTER.”

Wickens was involved in a crash with Andretti Autosport’s Ryan Hunter-Reay while contesting the seventh lap of a 500-mile race at Pocono Raceway on Aug. 19, when the two drivers touched each other and lost control of their machines. Hunter-Reay slammed against the wall but Wickens caught air and began flying through the air and spinning wildly out of control. The vicious collision also took out James Hinchcliffe, Pietro Fittipaldi, and Takuma Sato.

We will continue to update on his condition as more information is released by official sources.