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IndyCar: Top 5 replacement candidates for Mikhail Aleshin

By Asher Fair

FORT WORTH, TX - JUNE 09: Mikhail Aleshin, driver of the #7 SMP Racing Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Honda, practices for the Verizon IndyCar Series Rainguard Water Sealers 600 at Texas Motor Speedway on June 9, 2017 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
FORT WORTH, TX - JUNE 09: Mikhail Aleshin, driver of the #7 SMP Racing Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Honda, practices for the Verizon IndyCar Series Rainguard Water Sealers 600 at Texas Motor Speedway on June 9, 2017 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images) /
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DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA – FEBRUARY 24: Canada’s Robert Wickens in action during the A1GP Sprint Race on February 24, 2008 in Durban, South Africa. (Photo by Tertius Pickard/Gallo Images/Getty Images)
DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA – FEBRUARY 24: Canada’s Robert Wickens in action during the A1GP Sprint Race on February 24, 2008 in Durban, South Africa. (Photo by Tertius Pickard/Gallo Images/Getty Images) /

Robert Wickens

Robert Wickens, 28, would be an option to replace Mikhail Aleshin for the two remaining road course races at Watkins Glen and Sonoma. Wickens is currently a driver in the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters, which is a Germany-based touring car series that uses a silhouette racing car.

The reason this seemingly random driver from overseas is a legitimate candidate to replace Aleshin on the two remaining road course races is due to the fact that he has an association with James Hinchcliffe, Aleshin’s ex-Schmidt Peterson Motorsports teammate and the driver of the #5 Honda.

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In February, Hinchcliffe set Wickens up with an opportunity to test an IndyCar. When Aleshin had visa issues upon attempting to get back in the United States from France before the Road America race in late June, Schmidt Peterson Motorsports announced that Wickens would drive the #7 Honda if Aleshin ended up not being able to race.

Wickens ended up driving the #7 Honda in two practice sessions at Road America before Aleshin returned to the United States and took over what was once his full-time ride for the remainder of the race weekend.

Days after news broke that Schmidt Peterson Motorsports and Aleshin parted ways, Wickens took to Facebook to “subtly” express his desire to take over behind the wheel of the #7 Honda.

I've never been to Watkins Glen or Sonoma.. But I hear they're really nice…

Posted by Robert Wickens on Tuesday, August 15, 2017

Will Schmidt Peterson Motorsports get the hint?