Hyundai Racing Driver Robert Wickens Announces Plan to Compete in Nürburgring 24

• Wickens preparing to pilot a Hyundai Elantra N TCR with new hand controls in the ADAC RAVENOL 24 Hours Nürburgring race
• Announcement confirms Wickens’ first major Nürburgring race since becoming paralyzed in 2018
• New Bosch hand controls offer performance enhancements including improved response rate and richer diagnostics

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., April 15, 2025 – Hyundai today announced driver Robert Wickens will begin the qualification process for one of the most challenging endurance races in the world. Wickens is planning to compete in the ADAC RAVENOL 24 Hour Nürburgring race on June 21-22, 2025. Participating in the legendary Nürburgring 24 will mark another milestone after a life-changing IndyCar accident in 2018 that left Wickens paralyzed from the waist down. Wickens will compete in an Elantra N TCR racer using Bosch hand controls. His participation symbolizes resilience, determination, and the power of human potential.

“As an athlete, I’m constantly seeking ways to push myself and explore new opportunities to grow and hone my skills,” said Wickens. “I’m always striving to be the best version of myself, both on and off the track. Hyundai, Bosch, and Bryan Herta Autosport have an incredible team spirit and I’m thrilled for this chance to return and compete in one of the world’s most demanding endurance races.”

The Nürburgring 24 Hours is an annual 24-hour touring car and GT endurance race that takes place on a combination of the Nordschleife (“North Loop”) and the GP-Strecke (“Grand Prix track”) circuits of the Nürburgring in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. Held since 1970, the race’s 15.7-plus-mile lap length allows more than 200 cars and over 700 drivers to compete at once. The Nürburgring motorsports circuit is nicknamed “The Green Hell” because of its daunting length, changing elevations and extreme, varied weather conditions.

Robert Wickens

Prior to his racing experience with Hyundai, Canada’s Robert Wickens, was primarily recognized for his success as a Mercedes-AMG works driver in the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters series (DTM). In 2018, Wickens had a tragic accident during an IndyCar race at Pocono Raceway in Pennsylvania that left him paralyzed. His injuries included a fracture of the thoracic spine, a spinal cord injury, a neck fracture, tibia and fibula fractures in both legs, fractures in both hands, a broken right forearm, a broken elbow, a concussion, four broken ribs and a lung contusion. The motorsports world was shocked. But anyone who followed Wickens on Instagram quickly realized that he refused to accept his situation. His passion for motorsport – and life — was too great.

Wickens documented his healing journey in detail. And despite his paraplegia, his first experiences of success soon followed. Initially, Wickens fought his way back onto the ski slopes. 1,258 days after his accident, he drove his first car race in 2022 in the American IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge, competing with a Hyundai Elantra N TCR. A year later, he won the TCR Championship.

Breaking Barriers with Bosch Innovative Hand Control Driving System

Redefining electronics to solve new challenges is in Bosch’s DNA, including on the racetrack. The Bosch Motorsport team utilized expertise in braking technology and vehicle controls to develop a modern solution to braking using hand controls instead of foot pedals. The system debuted at the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) Battle on the Bricks event in Indianapolis on Sept. 21, 2024. The hand-control system was also successfully employed during the final round of the IMSA season at Road Atlanta. The Nürburgring 24’s famously demanding length and varied track conditions will be the ultimate test for the system.

“After debuting our new Bosch brake system during our last two IMSA races of 2024, it was very clear that it was a big step forward in safety and in braking feel and consistency,” added Wickens. “I was not able to be part of Hyundai’s success at the N24 in 2024, and I am grateful to have Bosch by my side to give me the chance to try again in 2025.”

For the redesign of Wickens’ hand-controlled braking system, Bosch utilized the existing electronic brake system (EBS) module it developed for a Le Mans Daytona Hybrid (LMDh) racer with its latest trusted controls platform and a new display to provide a more robust solution. This new technology allows Wickens to have more consistency across the application of brakes, a faster response rate and advanced diagnostics for safety.

“At Bosch, we’re passionate about finding new ways to push our technology to new limits,” said Jacob Bergenske, director of Bosch Motorsport in North America. “When the opportunity came to collaborate with a driver of Robert’s caliber and build upon Bosch’s braking systems expertise to provide a solution the sport needed, we got to work. It has been a historic project for all of us, knowing that we have contributed to Robert’s remarkable career by creating innovative ways to make motorsports safer and more accessible. This project is a true embodiment of our company ethos, ‘Invented for Life,’ and exemplifies our pursuit of bringing innovative solutions to improve lives.”

Hyundai Motor America

Hyundai Motor America offers U.S. consumers a technology-rich lineup of cars, SUVs, and electrified vehicles, while supporting Hyundai Motor Company’s Progress for Humanity vision. Hyundai has significant operations in the U.S., including its North American headquarters in California, the Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama assembly plant, the all-new Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America, and several cutting-edge R&D facilities. These operations, combined with those of Hyundai’s 850 independent dealers, contribute $20.1 billion annually and 190,000 jobs to the U.S. economy, according to a published economic impact report. For more information, visit www.hyundainews.com.

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