Manfred Winkelhock

Manfred Winkelhock (6 October 1951 – 12 August 1985) was a German racing driver, who competed in Formula One between 1980 and 1985.

Born and raised in Waiblingen, Winkelhock was the older brother of Joachim and Thomas. Winkelhock participated in 56 Formula One Grands Prix for Arrows, ATS, Brabham and RAM, with a best finish of fifth at the 1982 Brazilian Grand Prix.

During the 1985 1000 km of Mosport, Winkelhock died following a single-vehicle collision with a concrete barrier, driving the Porsche 962C for Kremer. His son Markus went on to also compete in Formula One at the 2007 European Grand Prix for Spyker, and won the FIA GT1 World Championship in 2012 with Münnich.

Racing career

Born in Waiblingen on 6 October 1951, Winkelhock was the older brother of Joachim and Thomas. After winning the Volkswagen Scirocco Cup in 1976, he began racing in Formula Two in 1978 and survived a major crash at Nürburgring Nordschleife circuit. The front wing of his March 802, still made of metal at that time, got bent early in the race, suffering some loss of downforce. Despite driving carefully, in the fourth lap, when going over the very steep rise of Quiddelbacher Höhe before Flugplatz corner, the car suddenly lifted its nose, went airborne, somersaulted backwards and then sideways.

Winkelhock along with Hervé Poulain and Marcel Mignot drove a BMW M1 Group 4 racing version that was painted by pop artist Andy Warhol for the 1979 24 Hours of Le Mans. They came in sixth overall and second in their class.

Winkelhock's first attempt at qualifying for a Formula One Grand Prix race was in Italy, when he stood in for the injured Jochen Mass at Arrows. He was able to land a drive with ATS in 1982. As BMW became the team's engine supplier in 1983, he qualified well on several occasions in 1983 and 1984, but the car was rarely reliable, so there were few results and a lot of accidents. In 1985 he won the 1000 km of Monza.

Winkelhock's son, Markus, is also a racing driver. He participated in only one F1 race, the European GP at the Nürburgring in 2007, and led for six laps due to rain.

Death

At the same time, Winkelhock was a regular sports car and touring car driver, winning the 1000km Monza with Marc Surer in 1985. He was killed in the summer of 1985 when he crashed heavily at the fearsome Turn 2 at Mosport Park of Bowmanville near Toronto, Ontario, Canada, during the Budweiser 1000km World Endurance Championship event, driving a Porsche 962C for Kremer Racing with co-driver Marc Surer. The crash was on Sunday, 11 August, and he succumbed to injuries the next day while at the Sunnybrook Medical Center in Toronto.

At the time of Winkelhock's death, he was a driver for the Skoal Bandit sponsored RAM Racing team in Formula One, though it had been a frustrating season with a best finish of 12th in the 1985 French Grand Prix at Paul Ricard. His death saw him replaced by Northern Irish driver Kenny Acheson, though lack of money saw the team fold before the end of the 1985 season.

Racing record

Complete European Formula Two Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Complete Formula One results

(key)

Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results

Notes