P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Wickens hospitalized after major Nurburgring Nordschleife crash
Robert Wickens, who was left paraplegic after a serious spinal cord injury in an IndyCar crash at Pocono in 2018, made his debut in the series sharing a car with fellow Canadian co-driver Mark Wilkins at the NLS endurance racing season opener. The iconic 12.9-mile Nurburgring circuit hosted the first race of a double-header event. Wickens’ unbranded car, carrying No. 831, sustained cosmetic damage in an early clash with a Falken-backed Porsche, but he continued racing until a major crash at the halfway point of the race led to him being transported to a nearby hospital for checks. Despite the ordeal, Wickens was declared conscious and alert by his team after the incident and further scans at the hospital came back clear, with him staying overnight for observation. Following his success in the TCR series with Hyundai in the US, Wickens aims to set a precedent as the first disabled driver to compete in the prestigious Indianapolis 500, using hand controls in his car due to his spinal injury. There are speculations of his participation in the upcoming Nurburgring 24 Hours but official confirmation is yet to be received. The NLS series had a turbulent off-season marked by legal disputes linked to the track’s Russian-owned holding company, adding a layer of controversy to the start of the racing season.
