Robert Wickens Issues First Public Statement After Terrifying Pocono Crash
The star IndyCar rookie suffered a long list of injuries resulting from the incident but is now undergoing physical rehab.
Robert Wickens fell victim to a high-speed collision with IndyCar rival Ryan Hunter-Reay and the catch fence at Pocono Raceway in August, leaving him with injuries to his arms, legs, ribs, and spine among other physical damages. Wickens' team, Schmidt Peterson Motorsports, has kept fans and the media updated throughout his recovery process and given, in short detail, general news of the Canadian driver's health status. However, since being transferred to IU Health Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis, Indiana, on Aug. 30, there had been no update from Wickens himself—until Sunday.
Wickens remains in the hospital nearly one month after the crash, unable to compete in the weekend's season finale at Sonoma Raceway. Despite not being at the championship-deciding contest, he was well-represented with #GetWellWickens stickers on drivers' helmets and cars, not to mention the innumerable supportive shirts and hats touted by fans around the track. Ryan Hunter-Reay even dedicated his second win of the season to Wickens in Victory Lane saying, "he’s fighting hard and we’re all with him. We wish he was here; he would have made our lives a lot harder on the race track."
Meanwhile, Wickens broke his social media silence by posting a minute-long clip with a brief rundown of his health and his plans for the coming months:
The 29-year-old explains that there's no definite timeline for his return to competition, though he does mention that he intends to race again "as quickly as possible." Wickens thanked his fans for uplifting him in what is surely a "very long road to recovery," and notes that he has begun rehab to start moving toward a comeback in the future.
“We want to thank everyone for the outpouring of love, prayers and positive energy that has been sent our way since Robert’s accident,” said Wickens' family in a previous statement. “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."
Check back with The Drive as we continue to relay updates on Wickens' condition as they are released by official sources over time.