MANFRED WINKELHOCK
The fearless racer who won admiration despite Formula 1 disappointment
Looking solely at the statistics, Manfred Winkelhock's Formula 1 career appears unremarkable. In 42 Grand Prix starts, the German scored just two championship points. Yet numbers tell only part of the story. Winkelhock became one of the most popular drivers of his era, admired for his determination, bravery and refusal to give up, even when driving some of the least competitive cars on the grid.
While Formula 1 never rewarded him with the results his talent deserved, his greatest achievements came in touring cars and endurance racing. Tragically, his pursuit of success would ultimately cost him his life.
Manfred Winkelhock: career start
Born in Waiblingen, Germany, in 1952, Winkelhock initially focused on technical studies while racing touring cars during weekends. Motorsport was not his full-time occupation at first, as completing his Meisterschule remained a priority. His breakthrough came in 1976 when he won the Volkswagen Scirocco Junior Championship, attracting the attention of BMW motorsport boss Jochen Neerpasch. Soon he joined the famous BMW Junior Team alongside Marc Surer and Eddie Cheever.
Success followed quickly. Driving a Schnitzer BMW 320 in 1977, Winkelhock won at Zolder and finished third in the championship. He also impressed in endurance racing with strong results at the Nürburgring 1000km, Brands Hatch 6H and Kyalami 1000 km(P3).
A move to Formula 2 with March team next to Marc Surer and Bruno Giacomelli followed in 1978, while he simultaneously enjoyed success in the German DRM championship, winning races at Zolder and Zandvoort.
1977
By the end of the 1970s, Winkelhock had established himself as one of Germany's most versatile drivers. He claimed three DRM victories in 1979 with the Rodenstock-Würth Team. Manfred also debuted at Le Mans in the #76 ART BMW M1 with French drivers Hervé Poulain and Marcel Mignot. They obtaining a respectable sixth place. He even finished third in a one-off Formula 2 appearance with Team Cassani.
His racing career gathered momentum in 1980, although it was also marked by one of the most spectacular accidents of the era. During a Formula 2 race at the Nürburgring, damage to the front wing caused his March to become airborne at Flugplatz. The car flipped violently and disintegrated in a crash later remembered as the "Nürburgring Take-Off". Remarkably, Winkelhock escaped without serious injury.
Formula 1 came calling later that year. After Jochen Mass suffered injuries in Austria, Arrows searched for a replacement. Following an unsuccessful attempt with Mike Thackwell, Mass recommended his fellow German friend. Although Winkelhock failed to qualify on his debut attempt, the opportunity brought him onto the Formula 1 stage.
Manfred Winkelhock switched to Ford in 1981. He did some spectacular racing with the Ford Capri Turbo and won 4 races.
He remained active in the F2 with Schäfer Racing and Maurer Motorsport in the MM81-BMW.
A taste of Formula 1
His dream became reality in 1982 when ATS offered him a full-time seat. The small German outfit struggled financially and technically, but Winkelhock's determination immediately stood out. In only his second Grand Prix, at Brazil, he scored a remarkable fifth-place finish. Unfortunately, reliability issues regularly undermined promising performances, a theme that would continue throughout his Formula 1 career.
The following seasons brought more frustration than reward. ATS switched to BMW power in 1983, allowing Winkelhock to regularly battle just outside the points despite persistent mechanical failures. In 1984, results became even harder to find, leading to his departure from ATS before a brief appearance with Brabham later that season.
1983:
1984:
Away from Formula 1, however, Winkelhock's reputation continued to grow. As a factory BMW driver and later a Porsche sportscar specialist with Kremer Racing, he became one of Germany's leading endurance racers.
Victories, podium finishes and strong performances in major touring car and sportscar events demonstrated the talent that Formula 1 had rarely allowed him to showcase.
The fatal year: 1985
By 1985, his endurance racing career was flourishing. Together with Marc Surer, he secured second place at Mugello and victory in the prestigious 1000 Kilometres of Monza. Formula 1 remained a difficult challenge with the underfunded RAM team, but in sportscars he finally appeared to have found the environment where his abilities could truly shine.
Tragically, that promising future came to an abrupt end on 11 August 1985 at Mosport Park in Canada. After taking over the Kremer Porsche from Surer during the World Endurance Championship race, Winkelhock crashed heavily at Clayton Corner. Despite extensive rescue efforts, he succumbed to his injuries the following day.
He was only 33 years old.
Although his Formula 1 record remains modest, Manfred Winkelhock's legacy extends far beyond statistics. His courage, perseverance and passion for racing earned him lasting respect throughout the motorsport world. The Winkelhock name would continue to be celebrated through the achievements of his younger brother Joachim and later his son Markus, ensuring that Manfred's contribution to motor racing would never be forgotten.
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