In 2018, Robert Wickens faced considered one of the few worst-case scenarios in racing. While competing at Pocono, his No. 6 Lucas Oil Arrow IndyCar hit one other automobile (Ryan Hunter-Reay), causing a brutal crash that resulted within the race being red flagged. Wickens surprisingly survived the incident, but his injuries left him paralyzed. There was probability he would not have the ability to walk or race.
Technology has made significant advancements through the years for disabled athletes. This was enough for paraplegic drivers to make use of experimental, hand-controlled systems, normally built specifically for a particular racing vehicle, allowing them to return to what they loved: racing. Michael Johnson was one such driver and in 2021, after Wickens' long road to recovery and rehabilitation, he offered the previous driver the prospect to return to the track using a specially modified Hyundai Veloster TCR equipped with a operated by hand system. The offer led to Wickens signing a season-long deal to drive with Bryan Herta Autosport (BHA), taking victory within the 2023 championship, and in addition enabled further development of the hand controls to make them more realistic and accessible to other paraplegic drivers who also they need to have a shot on the championship – or simply have the ability to drive their automobile skillfully on the track again.
How it began
The earlier hand control system that Wickens used (shown within the video below) during his first seasons at BHA operated via a brake ring mounted behind the handlebar. When Wickens tightened this brake ring, a series of connections applied pressure to the brake master cylinder, which then sent hydraulic pressure to the anti-lock brake controller and ultimately to the calipers at each corner to enable braking.
Although the system did provide some assistance in applying pressure to the brakes, it operated as compressed air to help Wickens in moving the linkages and was normally delayed. There was little or no feedback as all these movements were going down and there have been many mechanical moving parts that made it difficult to perform precise movements equivalent to trail braking, which requires feeling the automobile's response as you brake steadily, which is important in competitive racing.
All these connections also made it difficult to have a smooth handover of the automobile between Wickens and his co-drivers. In the Michelin Pilot Challenge series, drivers typically share cars, taking turns during enduro races. Wickens raced with Mark Wilkins and Harry Gottsacker, who would jump into the automobile after Wickens' runs and flip a switch to make use of the usual foot controls. Although the mechanical transition between able-bodied and disabled drivers was easy, the early system's mechanical linkages took up crucial space in the driving force's cockpit and required drivers to maneuver their feet to work around things. It also made it difficult for Wickens to get out and in of the automobile.
This control system can be continually developed by the BHA engineering team over the following several years, and ultimately little remained of the unique system supplied by Johnson. However, in late 2023, the engineering team realized that they may have the ability to make use of the recently developed LMDh technology to make the system even higher. They contacted the gurus at Bosch Motorsport.
Designing a neater future for racing for disabled drivers
Senior Motorsport Engineer Jordan Krell and the remainder of the engineering team at Bosch Motorsport immediately took up the challenge and took as their place to begin the electronic braking system (EBS) developed for LMDh hybrid race cars. Originally implemented at IMSA to regulate the braking functions of the brake-by-wire braking system used on LMDh prototypes, the EBS system uses electrical signals to attach friction brakes and regenerative braking provided by hybrid components installed within the cars.
Bosch engineers wanted to fulfill the needs of the manual control system and discover a solution to eliminate all these cumbersome connections within the automobile. They built a reproduction of the system Wickens utilized in his lab and started replacing components and designing a brand new system layout.
Photo: Bozi Tatarevic
Each adjustment ultimately left a system connecting the brake ring on the handlebar to 2 small master cylinders under the steering column. These cylinders were then hydraulically routed to the master cylinder via the brake pedal, and from there the lines were connected to the EBS. The circuit was accomplished by connecting the EBS to the ABS module, which is a regular element of the Veloster N TCR.
The next step was to tune the EBS and Bosch once more went to the LMDh platform to accumulate a pedal feel simulator. The simulator allowed them to get accurate braking feedback once they applied the brakes. This pedal feel simulator is an optional feature on LMDh cars that may be connected to the EBS hydraulic circuit to supply feedback when it applies the brakes.
Photo: Bosch Motorsport
This recent system not only removed most of the mechanical components under the steering wheel and across the pedals, but in addition integrated seamlessly with existing Bosch components and allowed Wickens and his co-drivers to simply swap out the automobile with the press of a switch that changes control from hand to foot.
One of the largest improvements to the brand new EBS-based system is the incontrovertible fact that the boost provided by the column-mounted master cylinders isn’t only more precise, but in addition more powerful, so Wickens can now operate the drag ring with one hand while making full use of it with the opposite hand a feature equivalent to gear shifting that can allow it to take braking to the following level.
This recent system not only directly advantages Wickens within the cockpit of the Hyundai Veloster N TCR, but opens up racing opportunities in other cars because the system uses Bosch components compatible with the ABS modules present in GT cars and prototypes. Wickens could now take his systems technology with him to the following level of competition and drive a GTD or GTP automobile within the IMSA WeatherTech Championship.
Just a couple of weeks ago, Wickens got to essentially put the brand new system to the test through the IMSA race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where he and teammate Harry Gottsacker finished on the rostrum after starting the Michelin Pilot Challenge from deep within the TCR field. They enter the upcoming race, which can happen next weekend at Michelin Raceway at Road Atlanta, with a second place finish within the championship and a probability to say one other championship win. With changes made in only a couple of years and the newest partnership with Bosch, whatever the consequence of this weekend, it should be a victory for Wickens and one other victory for disabled individuals who hope to get the prospect to compete in motorsport again.
