Markus Winkelhock (; born 13 June 1980) is a German professional racing driver. He made one Formula One start for Spyker at the 2007 European Grand Prix, where he led for several laps under heavy rain before retiring with hydraulic issues. As an Audi factory driver, Winkelhock raced in DTM, won the Nürburgring 24 Hours three times and was Intercontinental GT Challenge champion in 2017. He also won the FIA GT1 World Championship in 2012 driving a Mercedes.
He is the son of Manfred Winkelhock and nephew of Joachim Winkelhock, both of whom were Formula One drivers in the 1980s.
Early career
Born in Stuttgart, Winkelhock won races in a string of junior formulae including Formula König, German Formula Renault and the Formula Renault Eurocup from 1998 to 2000.
In 2001, Winkelhock joined the German Formula 3 Championship, where he remained until the championship became the F3 Euroseries in 2003. His record was fifth overall in 2001 (three wins), seventh in 2002 (one win) and fourth in 2003 (two wins).
Winkelhock switched to touring car racing in 2004, with a season in the DTM in an AMG-Mercedes CLK. But he failed to score a point all year with the Persson team.
Winkelhock switched back to single-seater racing in 2005, joining the World Series by Renault with Draco. He won three times but there were also some less than shining moments – notably when he crashed at Monaco in qualifying and on the first lap of the race.
Formula One
On 24 January 2006, Winkelhock was confirmed as a test and reserve driver for the Midland F1 team (formerly Jordan Grand Prix) for the Formula One season. He participated in Friday test sessions for the team at the Bahrain, Australian, German and Hungarian Grands Prix.
Winkelhock was re-signed for by the team, which by then had been renamed as Spyker F1. He also made a brief return to the DTM in 2007, starting three races.
Following Christijan Albers's departure from Spyker after the 2007 British Grand Prix, Winkelhock was confirmed as his replacement for the European Grand Prix on 18 July. The deal was only for one race with Sakon Yamamoto set to race for Spyker for the rest of the season.
2007 European Grand Prix
In the race, Winkelhock started last on the 22-car grid alongside teammate Adrian Sutil. On the formation lap, with the rest of the field on dry-weather tyres, the team made a last-second decision to call Winkelhock into the pits to switch to full wet tyres. When pouring rain forced almost all the others to pit at the end of the first lap, Winkelhock was able to move into the lead, passing some cars as they pitted, and even passing Kimi Räikkönen on the track as the Finn tip-toed around to the pits, eventually building a lead of 19 seconds by the end of the second lap. By lap 4, he had a lead of 33 seconds over Ferrari's Felipe Massa in second place. As the rain got heavier, the stewards first sent out the safety car and then suspended the race following a series of spins in the first corner behind the safety car. The race restarted after the rain had eased. Winkelhock and his team chose to start on full wet tyres on a drying track in the hope of further showers, as the team expected he would be overtaken by faster cars anyway. The gamble failed and, having restarted the race from the lead, Winkelhock quickly fell down the order. He retired on lap 15 with hydraulic problems that caused a small fire. He had led for a total of six laps.
According to Bob Varsha of the Speed Channel commentary team, Winkelhock is the only driver in Formula One history to start last on the grid and lead the race in his first Grand Prix, and due to the red flag and restart, is also the only driver in Formula One history to start both last and first on the grid in the same Grand Prix. Despite his performance in the race, the Spyker team opted against giving Winkelhock a drive for the remainder of the 2007 season, instead opting for Super Aguri test driver Sakon Yamamoto.
Post-Formula One career
Winkelhock returned to the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters after he lost his Spyker seat, and has remained in the series, driving for Team Rosberg, for 2008 (12th), 2009 (tenth) and 2010 (12th).
In 2011, Winkelhock competed in the FIA GT1 World Championship for the All-Inkl.com Münnich Motorsport team alongside team manager Marc Basseng driving a Lamborghini. They won the championship the following year, the team having switched to the Mercedes SLS due to a change in the regulations.
Winkelhock was to move with Münnich Motorsport to the World Touring Car Championship for 2013, however he left the team before the start of the season in order to focus on his GT racing commitments, and was replaced by defending champion Robert Huff.
Since 2013, Winkelhock has more or less settled in the Blancpain Endurance Series and also won the 2017 24 Hours of Nürburgring sportscar race.
Winkelhock also made a brief DTM comeback midway through the 2021 season with Abt Sportsline, where he replaced Sophia Flörsch for the Nürburgring round due to her Le Mans commitments.
Racing record
Career summary Season Series Team Races Wins Poles Points Position 1998 Formula König ? 9 3 2 161 2nd 1999 Formula Renault Germany SL Formula Racing 8 2 1 72 4th Lechner Racing 2000 Formula Renault 2000 Eurocup SL Formula Racing ? 1 ? 78 6th Formula Renault 2000 Italy SL Racing 4 0 0 8 21st 2001 German Formula 3 Championship Mücke Motorsport 20 3 2 141 5th Masters of Formula 3 ADAC Berlin-Brandenburg 1 0 0 N/A 36th 2002 German Formula 3 Championship Mücke Motorsport 18 1 2 28 7th 2003 Formula 3 Euro Series Mücke Motorsport 20 2 1 71 4th Masters of Formula 3 ADAC Berlin-Brandenburg 1 0 0 N/A 6th 2004 Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters Persson Motorsport 10 0 0 0 19th 2005 Formula Renault 3.5 Series Draco Multiracing USA 17 3 1 114 3rd 2006 Formula One MF1 Racing Test driver Porsche Supercup Porsche AG 1 0 0 0 NC 2007 Formula One Etihad Aldar Spyker F1 Team 1 0 0 0 NC Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters Abt Sportsline 2 0 0 0 19th Futurecom TME 5 0 0 0 2008 Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters Team Rosberg 11 0 0 6 11th 2009 Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters Team Rosberg 10 0 0 11 10th 2010 Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters Team Rosberg 11 0 0 7 12th 24 Hours of Nürburgring - SP9 Phoenix Racing110N/A1st 2011 GT1 World Championship All-Inkl.com Münnich Motorsport 20 3 0 102 5th ADAC GT Masters Novidem Swissracing Team 8 0 0 0 NC 24 Hours of Nürburgring - SP9 Audi Sport Team Phoenix10?N/A2nd 2012 GT1 World Championship All-Inkl.com Münnich Motorsport 18 1 0 145 1st 24 Hours of Nürburgring - SP9 Audi Sport Team Phoenix110N/A1st 2013 Blancpain Endurance Series Phoenix Racing 5 0 0 12 23rd FIA GT Series 2 0 0 0 NC† ADAC GT Masters Prosperia C.Abt Racing 14 0 1 110 10th Rolex Sports Car Series - GT Audi Sport Customer Racing1002454th 24 Hours of Nürburgring - SP9 G-Drive Racing by Phoenix100N/A5th 2014 Blancpain Sprint Series Phoenix Racing 14 0 0 32 11th Blancpain Endurance Series 1 1 0 43 10th 24 Hours of Nürburgring - SP9110N/A1st United SportsCar Championship - GTD Flying Lizard Motorsports 2 0 0 34 56th World Rallycross Championship EKS RX 1 0 0 0 56th 2015 Blancpain Sprint Series Phoenix Racing 14 0 0 48 9th Blancpain Endurance Series 4 0 0 0 NC Audi Sport Team WRT100 United SportsCar Championship - GTD Flying Lizard Motorsports 1 0 0 1 58th FFSA GT Championship Saintéloc Junior Team2000NC 24 Hours of Nürburgring - SP9 Audi Sport Team Phoenix100N/ADNF 2016 ADAC GT Masters Phoenix Racing 10 0 0 22 30th Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup 8 0 0 0 NC Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup 1 0 0 18 21st Intercontinental GT Challenge Phoenix Racing100335th Audi Sport Team Phoenix 2 0 0 24H Series - A6 Car Collection Motorsport 24 Hours of Nürburgring - SP9 Audi Sport Team Phoenix100N/ADNF 2017 ADAC GT Masters BWT Mücke Motorsport 12 0 0 14 33rd Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup Belgian Audi Club Team WRT 9 1 0 74 2nd Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup 1 0 0 30 8th Audi Sport Team Saintéloc 2 1 0 Intercontinental GT Challenge Jamec Pem Racing 1 0 0 50 1st Audi Sport Team Saintéloc110 Audi Sport Team Magnus110 24 Hours of Nürburgring - SP9 Audi Sport Team Land / Land-Motorsport110N/A1st 2018 ADAC GT Masters BWT Mücke Motorsport 14 0 0 42 14th 24H GT Series - A6 Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup Saintéloc Racing 10 0 0 1 25th Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup - Pro-Am 10 5 2 134.5 1st Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup 5 0 0 27 18th Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup - Pro-Am 3 0 0 36 12th IMSA SportsCar Championship - GTD Magnus Racing 1 0 0 25 52nd Intercontinental GT Challenge Audi Sport Team MPC 1 0 0 58 4th Audi Sport Team Saintéloc110 Audi Sport Team Absolute Racing100 Audi Sport Team WRT100 24 Hours of Nürburgring - SP9 Audi Sport Team BWT100N/A11th 2019 ADAC GT Masters BWT Mücke Motorsport 14 0 0 80 12th Blancpain GT World Challenge Europe Saintéloc Racing 9 0 0 3 22nd Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup 4 0 0 12 19th Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup - Pro-Am 3 0 0 30 11th IMSA SportsCar Championship - GTD Moorespeed 1 0 0 20 56th Intercontinental GT Challenge Audi Sport Team Valvoline 1 0 0 40 11th Audi Sport Team Land200 Audi Sport Team Saintéloc100 Audi Sport Team Absolute Racing100 24H GT Series - A6 BWT Mücke Motorsport Car Collection Motorsport 24 Hours of Nürburgring - SP9 Audi Sport Team Car Collection100N/A3rd 2020 GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup Saintéloc Racing 4 0 0 22 15th ADAC GT Masters EFP Car Collection by TECE 6 0 0 0 NC† IMSA SportsCar Championship - GTD Team Hardpoint 1 0 0 18 54th Intercontinental GT Challenge Audi Sport Team Valvoline 1 0 0 26 9th Audi Sport Team Hardpoint WRT100 Audi Sport Team Saintéloc Racing100 Audi Sport Team WRT100 24H GT Series - GT3 Car Collection Motorsport 24 Hours of Nürburgring - SP9 Audi Sport Team Car Collection100N/A2nd 2021 ADAC GT Masters Car Collection Motorsport 14 0 0 29 25th GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup ROFGO Racing with Team WRT 2 0 0 1 33rd Saintéloc Racing 4 0 0 GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup 5 0 0 11 20th Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters Team Abt Sportsline 2 0 0 0 23rd Intercontinental GT Challenge Audi Sport Team Saintéloc Racing310502nd 24H GT Series - GT3 Attempto Racing Rutronik Racing by TECE 24 Hours of Nürburgring - SP9 Audi Sport Team Car Collection100N/A5th 2022 ADAC GT Masters Car Collection Motorsport 14 0 0 26 26th GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup Attempto Racing 5 0 0 19 20th Intercontinental GT Challenge The Bend Motorsport Park Team Valvoline Audi Sport Team Attempto 24 Hours of Nürburgring - SP9 Scherer Sport Team Phoenix100N/A5th2023 GT Winter Series Phoenix Racing???885th 24 Hours of Nürburgring - SP9 Scherer Sport PHX100N/A11th2023-24 Middle East Trophy - GT3 Goroyan RT by Car Collection Motorsport Eastalent Racing Team2024 GT World Challenge Asia Audi Sport Asia Team Absolute1010689th Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie - SP9 Scherer Sport PHX200 24 Hours of Nürburgring - SP9100N/A8th2025 GT World Challenge Asia Audi Sport Asia Team Phantom10002424th Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie - SP9 Scherer Sport PHX 24 Hours of Nürburgring - SP9100N/ADNF2026GT World Challenge Europe Endurance CupEastalent RacingNürburgring Langstrecken-Serie - SP-XHWA Engineering Speed † As Winkelhock was a guest driver, he was ineligible for points. * Season still in progress.
Complete German Formula Three Championship results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap) Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 DC Points 2001 ADAC Berlin-Brandenburg Dallara F301 Opel HOC11 HOC12 NÜR11 NÜR12 OSC1 OSC2 SAC1 SAC2 NOR1 NOR2 HOC21 HOC22 LAU1 LAU2 NÜR21 NÜR22 A1R1 A1R2 HOC31 HOC32 5th 141 2002 Mücke Motorsport Dallara F302 Mercedes HOC11 HOC12 NÜR11 NÜR12 SAC1 SAC2 NOR1 NOR2 LAU1 LAU2 HOC21 HOC22 NÜR21 NÜR22 A1R1 A1R2 ZAN1 ZAN2 HOC31 HOC32 7th 28
Complete Formula 3 Euro Series results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)