After briefly seeming he would be able to make the opener of the IndyCar iRacing Challenge, Robert Wickens announced Saturday he is officially out.
Despite a last-scramble to provide him equipment, Wickens tweeted that his Max Papis Innovations steering wheel wouldn’t arrive in time because of a courier problem.
“I can’t thank Max Papis and Cary Bettenhausen enough for all their hard work to try (to) make this happen,” Wickens said in a statement. “I see sim racing as more than a six-race challenge with friends and competitors. I have been working with Arrow McLaren SP to continue to develop what I need to return to racing. Sim racing will be the perfect platform for that.”
RACE INFORMATION: Full details for today’s IndyCar iRacing Challenge
Wickens had put a last-minute call out Thursday night after problems acquiring simulation rig equipment, and it had seemed hopeful Friday.
The IndyCar iRacing Challenge, which will include several NTT Series stars and seven-time Cup champion Jimmie Johnson racing at Watkins Glen International, will begin at 4 p.m. ET on IndyCar.com and several streaming platforms.
The sim was ready to go! Just need to plug the wheel in! @IndySimulation, @SimXperience and @PitFitTraining basically did an all nighter getting the sim calibrated to the wheel base and added electronics of the hand controls for the project. pic.twitter.com/56GINQkoAx
— Robert Wickens (@robertwickens) March 28, 2020
The mastermind @maxpapis of @MPI_INNOVATIONS built the wheel in a race against the clock to ship before 6pm last night! Here is what the finished product looked like. I can’t wait to try it out soon. pic.twitter.com/j7ZKvdZFf3
— Robert Wickens (@robertwickens) March 28, 2020
Unfortunately I will not be able to make today’s @IndyCar @iRacing event. There was an issue with the courier and the @MPI_INNOVATIONS steering wheel will not arrive in time for today’s race.
— Robert Wickens (@robertwickens) March 28, 2020
Please read a full statement.@IndySimulation
@ArrowMcLarenSP@ArrowGlobal@Lucas_Oil pic.twitter.com/qJpV9kes7h