Markus WINKELHOCK

Markus Winkelhock, born on June 13, 1980, is a German professional racing driver with a motorsport heritage. He is the son of Manfred Winkelhock and the nephew of Joachim Winkelhock, both of whom competed in Formula One during the 1980s. Winkelhock's career began in 1998, achieving second place in Formula König. He progressed through various junior series, including German Formula Renault and Formula Renault Eurocup, before joining the German Formula 3 Championship in 2001.

Winkelhock transitioned to touring car racing in 2004, participating in the DTM (German Touring Car Masters) but without scoring any points. In 2006, he secured a test driver role with the Midland F1 team, leading to his memorable Formula One debut at the 2007 European Grand Prix. Starting last, Winkelhock gambled on an early pit stop for wet tires as rain began to fall, a strategic move that propelled him into the lead. He led the race for several laps before ultimately retiring due to mechanical issues.

After his brief F1 stint, Winkelhock returned to the DTM and later found success in GT racing. In 2012, he won the FIA GT1 World Championship with Marc Basseng, driving a Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3. Since then, he has achieved numerous victories and podium finishes in GT series such as the Blancpain GT Series and the ADAC GT Masters, primarily with Audi. Winkelhock's career highlights also include multiple wins at the 24 Hours Nürburgring and 24 Hours Spa.