Robert Wickens will reach another milestone in his years-long recovery next year when he joins DXDT Racing to drive its Corvette Z06 GT3.R in a graduation to IMSA’s WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.
The 2023 IMSA TCR champion with Bryan Herta Autosport in IMSA’s Michelin Pilot Challenge series departs BHA to join DXDT for five sprint races in the GTD Corvette, which is outfitted with the same brand-new hand-control and electronic-braking technology developed by Bosch Wickens used to close the season in his Hyundai Elantra N TCR. Wickens’ teammate will be named at a later date.
The Canadian is set to join the David Askew-owned, Bryan Sellers-led team for a program starting at Long Beach and continuing with stops at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, Road America, and Virginia International Raceway.
“This is the opportunity I have been seeking for quite a while now, and it wouldn’t be possible without the support from David Askew at DXDT, Bosch and GM,” Wickens said. “My goal since returning to racing was to race in the IMSA WeatherTech Series, so to tick that box with a limited schedule in 2025 is a huge step in my progression back to professional racing. It was never going to be an easy task, but when great minds put their heads together anything is possible.”
Severely injured in an IndyCar crash at Pocono Raceway in 2018, Wickens fought through paralysis in his legs to regain the ability to walk in short bursts, but lingering damage made the use of hand controls to manage braking and throttle application a requirement upon his return to racing with BHA and Hyundai in 2022.
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Paired with Mark Wilkins, the duo took two wins on his TCR debut, and with a change in co-drivers to Harry Gottsacker, the two earned the TCR title in 2023 and returned to take runner-up honors in the class in 2024. In the routine developed with BHA, a driver change assistant was deployed to carry and install Wickens into the car and remove him and carry him back to the pit wall, which is expected to continue at DXDT.
Having spent most of the year working in the background to develop an opportunity to compete in the WeatherTech Championship, Wickens hoped to create a full-time opportunity for himself, but will embark on the new adventure with DXDT at IMSA’s shorter races and look to expand his calendar in 2026 and beyond.
“It’s always great when you can add a driver of Robert’s caliber to the team,” Askew said. “He is a top driver and has shown through drive and resilience that nothing is out of reach, evidenced by his race wins and championship titles in TCR. It’s certainly going to be a new challenge for all of us, but it’s one I’m so excited to take on. I know with all the work by us, Bosch, GM, and Pratt Miller this offseason, we’re in a good position to hit the ground running in Long Beach.”
This is what I’ve been pushing for since day 1 of my recovery. I’m excited to announce that I am entering the @IMSA Weather Tech Series in the GTD class with @DXDTRacing. None of this would have been possible without the support of the team, Bosch, GM, and so many more. pic.twitter.com/7Ou8SM9zfC
— Robert Wickens (@robertwickens) November 25, 2024
Wickens is the only driver directly supported by Bosch, and while other vendors have supplied hand controls in the series, he will race the mid-engine V8-powered Corvette with the first hand-control system made by the company for use in the WeatherTech Championship.
Pratt Miller Motorsports, which turns the production Corvettes into GT3-specification race cars for General Motors, has integrated Bosch’s technology into the American supercar for Wickens and DXDT, with functionality built in that allows the hand-control system to be switched on for Wickens and switched off for co-drivers who prefer to use the brake and throttle pedals.
“We are proud to be part of this effort alongside DXDT Racing, Pratt Miller, Bosch and of course Robert Wickens,” said Mark Stielow, GM’s director of motorsports competition programs. “For many years, Corvette Racing and Bosch have worked together to drive innovation in motorsports, most notably through the Collision Avoidance System that is now common in sports car paddocks around the world. It means a tremendous amount for Robert and Bosch to choose the Corvette Z06 GT3.R and DXDT Racing as they achieve their goal of making racing more inclusive to all competitors around the world, no matter the series or classification.”