Manfred Winkelhock (6 October 1951 – 12 August 1985)[2] was a German racing driver. He participated in 56 Formula One Grands Prix (with 47 starts) between 1980 and 1985, driving for Arrows, ATS, Brabham and RAM Racing, with a best finish of fifth at the 1982 Brazilian Grand Prix. He is the older brother of Joachim and Thomas Winkelhock and father of Markus Winkelhock, who are all also racing drivers.

Manfred Winkelhock
Born(1951-10-06)6 October 1951
Died12 August 1985(1985-08-12) (aged 33)
NationalityGermany German
RelativesJoachim Winkelhock (brother)
Thomas Winkelhock (brother)
Markus Winkelhock (son)
Formula One World Championship career
Active years1980, 19821985
TeamsArrows, ATS, Brabham, RAM
Entries56 (47 starts)
Championships0
Wins0
Podiums0
Career points2
Pole positions0
Fastest laps0
First entry1980 Italian Grand Prix
Last entry1985 German Grand Prix

Racing career edit

Born in Waiblingen on 6 October 1951, Manfred Winkelhock was the older brother of Joachim Winkelhock. 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.[3] They came in 6th overall and 2nd in their class.[3]

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.

His son, Markus Winkelhock, 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 edit

At the same time he 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 1000 km World Endurance Championship event, driving a Porsche 962C for Kremer Racing with co-driver Marc Surer. The crash was Sunday, 11 August and he succumbed to injuries the next day[4] while at the Sunnybrook Medical Center in Toronto.[1]

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 edit

Complete European Formula Two Championship results edit

(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 Pos Pts
1978 Polifac BMW Junior Team March 782 BMW THR
5
8th 11
March Racing Ltd HOC
12
NÜR
Ret
PAU
8
MUG
9
VAL
4
ROU
12
DON
5
NOG
7
PER
9
MIS
Ret
HOC
3
1979 Cassani Racing Ralt RT1 BMW SIL HOC THR NÜR
3
VAL MUG PAU HOC ZAN PER MIS DON 16th 4
1980 ICI Racing Team March 802 BMW THR
Ret
HOC
Ret
NÜR
Ret
VAL
10
PAU
8
SIL
9
ZOL
7
MUG
10
ZAN
10
PER
3
MIS
9
HOC
7
13th 4
1981 Schäfer Racing Ralt RT2 BMW SIL HOC
2
THR
Ret
NÜR
DSQ
VAL MUG PAU PER 9th 12
Maurer Motorsport Maurer MM81 SPA
5
DON
3
MIS MAN

Complete Formula One results edit

(key)

Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 WDC Points
1980 Warsteiner Arrows Arrows A3 Cosworth DFV V8 ARG BRA RSA USW BEL MON FRA GBR GER AUT NED ITA
DNQ
CAN USA NC 0
1982 Team ATS ATS D5 Cosworth DFV V8 RSA
10
BRA
5
USW
Ret
SMR
DSQ
BEL
Ret
MON
Ret
DET
Ret
CAN
DNQ
NED
12
GBR
DNQ
FRA
11
GER
Ret
AUT
Ret
SUI
Ret
ITA
DNQ
CPL
NC
24th 2
1983 Team ATS ATS D6 BMW M12 L4t BRA
16
USW
Ret
FRA
Ret
SMR
11
MON
Ret
BEL
Ret
DET
Ret
CAN
9
GBR
Ret
GER
DNQ
AUT
Ret
NED
DSQ
ITA
Ret
EUR
8
RSA
Ret
NC 0
1984 Team ATS ATS D7 BMW M12 L4t BRA
EX
RSA
Ret
BEL
Ret
SMR
Ret
FRA
Ret
MON
Ret
CAN
8
DET
Ret
DAL
8
GBR
Ret
GER
Ret
AUT
DNS
NED
Ret
ITA
DNS
EUR NC 0
MRD International Brabham BT53 BMW M12 L4t POR
10
1985 Skoal Bandit F1 Team RAM 03 Hart 415T L4t BRA
13
POR
NC
SMR
Ret
MON
DNQ
CAN
Ret
DET
Ret
FRA
12
GBR
Ret
GER
Ret
AUT NED ITA BEL EUR RSA AUS NC 0

References edit

  1. ^ a b "Controversy Erupts Over Death of Race Driver". Los Angeles Times. August 14, 1985. Retrieved November 26, 2020.
  2. ^ "Manfred_Winkelhock". www.oldracingcars.com. Retrieved 1 June 2016.
  3. ^ a b Taylor, James (2001). Original BMW M-Series. MBI Publishing Company LLC. pp. 28–29. ISBN 978-0-7603-0898-1.
  4. ^ Associated Press wire story. Title "West German racer dies at Toronto. Accessed 29 August 2021. Link: https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1928&dat=19850810&id=6pQgAAAAIBAJ&sjid=_2cFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1485,2017867
Sporting positions
Preceded by Guia Race winner
1981
Succeeded by