IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship at Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach features new technology supporting accessibility in racing
Long Beach, Calif., April 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —
- Hand-control braking system from Bosch to be utilized for first time in GTD (Grand Touring Daytona) class at Long Beach
- Wickens moves from IMSA TCR (Touring Car class) to GTD class with Corvette Racing factory driver Tommy Milner
- Integration of hand-control system into vehicle achieved through collaboration between Bosch, Chevrolet, DXDT Racing and Pratt Miller
- Debut showcases possibilities for innovation and accessibility in motorsports
Robert Wickens, Canadian racing driver, will make his highly anticipated debut in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship GTD (GT Daytona) class with DXDT Racing at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. Wickens will race in a Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R equipped with Bosch’s state-of-the-art hand-control braking system for the first time, an evolution of previous systems that enabled his return to racing following a life-changing spinal cord injury sustained in an INDYCAR Series crash in 2018. His participation marks a significant milestone in his remarkable recovery and another breakthrough in motorsports innovation and accessibility.
Wickens moves up into the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship following three successful seasons in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge TCR (Touring Car class; 2022-24), which included multiple race victories and a series title. Wickens’ transition to Grand Touring (GT) racing represents another milestone made possible through the collaboration of Bosch, Pratt Miller, Chevrolet and DXDT Racing. Together, they have outfitted the Z06 GT3.R with adaptive technologies that can perform at the highest level among some of the world’s top drivers.
Engineering Innovation – Driving Accessibility
For over a century, Bosch has pioneered motorsports technology, from groundbreaking braking systems to advanced driver-assistance innovations. Bosch took on the hand-control system project to help make racing more accessible with the aid of its electronics to continue this legacy.
Wickens has been relentless in his pursuit of returning to competitive racing. He returned to racing in 2022 but needed more advanced technology to enhance his performance. He turned to the expertise of Bosch in braking and control systems.
In 2024, Wickens and Bosch Motorsport developed a revolutionary hand-control braking system adapted from Bosch’s technology used by the Le Mans Daytona h (LMDh) platform that races in the top classes of both the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and FIA World Endurance Championship. An Electronic Braking System (EBS) module is used to match the functionality of traditional foot pedals with hand-operated paddle controls, allowing Wickens to manage acceleration, braking and gear shifting entirely with his hands.
After more than a year of development, Wickens debuted the Bosch hand-control system at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway during the final rounds of the 2024 TCR championship.
“Returning to high-level racing has been my ultimate goal since day one of my recovery, and the Bosch system has helped to open doors for achieving my goals,” Wickens said. “The debut in Long Beach in the GTD class with DXDT and Chevy racing in the Corvette Z06 GT3.R is another milestone not just for me, but for the topic of accessibility in racing.”
This technological breakthrough not only reinforced Wickens’ ability to compete but also brought together the world-class engineering expertise of Bosch, Pratt Miller and Chevrolet to continue to push the boundaries of motorsports.
Pratt Miller, Chevrolet’s long-time constructor and motorsports associate, played a key role in developing the new hand-control system and adapting the Corvette Z06 GT3.R to integrate the Bosch hand-control system.
Corvette Racing factory driver Tommy Milner, who will share the race car with Wickens at Long Beach, performed initial in-vehicle testing. WeatherTech Championship rules require a driver-change during the race, so Bosch’s system enables hand-control as well as pedal-based throttle and brake application.
“Developing the bespoke hand control system for the Corvette Z06 GT3.R was a fast-paced and highly collaborative effort,” said Ben Johnson, motorsports technology group executive director, Pratt Miller. “Our team at Pratt Miller delivered a fully integrated solution in a remarkably compressed timeframe—one that enables seamless transitions between hand control and traditional pedal operation with the push of a button. This project showcased the full depth of our capabilities across design engineering, rapid prototyping, fabrication and complex systems integration. We’re proud to help advance inclusive technologies in motorsports and honored to support Robert Wickens and the broader community this system represents.”
Chevrolet’s Commitment to Inclusion in Racing
The Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach will mark Wickens’ first race in a Corvette Z06 GT3.R. His impressive resume pairs well with the Corvette Racing program, whose history of success includes 140 race victories around the world – 117 of them in IMSA competition – along with 14 Manufacturers championships for Chevrolet.
General Motors and Chevrolet have long been committed to accessibility for customers and employees. Upon hearing of Wickens’ interest in GTD, Chevrolet helped to bring Bosch, Pratt Miller and DXDT together to bring him into the Corvette Racing family.
“Everyone within Chevrolet and Corvette Racing is excited to be part of this project,” said Mark Stielow, director, Chevrolet Motorsports Competition Programs. “Chevrolet’s commitment to accessibility and innovation in motorsports drove investment in this project. We all support Robert’s drive to compete at the highest levels of motorsport and are proud to partner with groups like Bosch, Pratt Miller and DXDT Racing to realize part of that dream.”
This is the first of five sprint rounds of the 2025 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship that Wickens will participate in this year. In addition to Long Beach, he also will drive the No. 36 DXDT Racing Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, Road America and Virginia International Raceway.
Press photos are available on the Bosch Media Service at us.bosch-press.com.
About Bosch
Having established a presence in North America in 1906, today the Bosch Group employs more than 41,000 associates in more than 100 locations in the North American region (as of Dec. 31, 2024). According to preliminary figures, Bosch generated consolidated sales of $17.4 billion in the U.S., Mexico and Canada in 2024. For more information visit www.bosch.us, www.bosch.mx and www.bosch.ca.
The Bosch Group is a leading global supplier of technology and services. It employs roughly 417,900 associates worldwide (as of December 31, 2024). According to preliminary figures, the company generated sales of 90.5 billion euros in 2024. Its operations are divided into four business sectors: Mobility, Industrial Technology, Consumer Goods, and Energy and Building Technology. With its business activities, the company aims to use technology to help shape universal trends such as automation, electrification, digitalization, connectivity, and an orientation to sustainability. In this context, Bosch’s broad diversification across regions and industries strengthens its innovativeness and robustness. Bosch uses its proven expertise in sensor technology, software, and services to offer customers cross-domain solutions from a single source. It also applies its expertise in connectivity and artificial intelligence in order to develop and manufacture user-friendly, sustainable products. With technology that is “Invented for life,” Bosch wants to help improve quality of life and conserve natural resources. The Bosch Group comprises Robert Bosch GmbH and its roughly 470 subsidiary and regional companies in over 60 countries. Including sales and service partners, Bosch’s global manufacturing, engineering, and sales network covers nearly every country in the world. Bosch’s innovative strength is key to the company’s further development. At 136 locations across the globe, Bosch employs some 86,900 associates in research and development, of which nearly 48,000 are software engineers.
The company was set up in Stuttgart in 1886 by Robert Bosch (1861–1942) as “Workshop for Precision Mechanics and Electrical Engineering.” The special ownership structure of Robert Bosch GmbH guarantees the entrepreneurial freedom of the Bosch Group, making it possible for the company to plan over the long term and to undertake significant upfront investments in the safeguarding of its future. Ninety-four percent of the share capital of Robert Bosch GmbH is held by Robert Bosch Stiftung GmbH, a charitable foundation. The remaining shares are held by Robert Bosch GmbH and by a company owned by the Bosch family. The majority of voting rights are held by Robert Bosch Industrietreuhand KG. It is entrusted with the task of safeguarding the company’s long-term existence and in particular its financial independence – in line with the mission handed down in the will of the company’s founder, Robert Bosch.
Additional information is available online at www.bosch.com, www.iot.bosch.com, www.bosch-press.com.
Exchange rate: 1 EUR = 1.0823
Attachment
- Robert Wickens to Debut DXDT Corvette Z06 GT3.R with Hand-Control System
CONTACT: Megan Bonelli Bosch megan.bonelli@us.bosch.com Katie Brannan DXDT Racing katiebrannanpr@gmail.com Nate Siebens IMSA nsiebens@imsa.com Brad Zimmerman Pratt Miller bzimmerman@prattmiller.com
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