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| Joachim Winkelhock | |
|---|---|
| Name | Joachim Winkelhock |
| Nationality | German |
| Birth date | 15 November 1960 |
| Birth place | Waiblingen, Baden-Württemberg, West Germany |
| Titles | 1993 British Touring Car Championship |
| Teams | BMW, Schnitzer Motorsport, BMW Motorsport |
Joachim Winkelhock was a German professional racing driver notable for success in touring cars, sports car endurance events, and junior single-seater formulas. Over a career spanning the 1980s and 1990s he competed for teams such as Schnitzer Motorsport, BMW Motorsport, and privateer entries, racing at events including the 24 Hours of Le Mans, 24 Hours of Spa, and the British Touring Car Championship. He is part of a prominent German motorsport family and contributed to touring car development in the era of Group A, DTM, and Super Touring regulations.
Born in Waiblingen, Baden-Württemberg, Winkelhock came from a motorsport family that included brothers and relatives active in racing circles. His family connections linked him to figures associated with Motorsport Club Schwaben, regional motorsport traditions in Stuttgart, and German racing lineage that produced drivers competing in Formula One, World Sportscar Championship, and national touring car series. The family's involvement intersected with automotive manufacturers such as BMW, Porsche, and suppliers tied to the Automobilclub von Deutschland.
Winkelhock's professional trajectory encompassed touring car championships, endurance events, and formula racing. His career milestones involved participation in national and international series such as the Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft, the British Touring Car Championship, the European Touring Car Championship, and iconic endurance races including 24 Hours of Le Mans and 24 Hours of Spa. He raced against contemporaries from teams like Tom Walkinshaw Racing, Audi Sport, Mercedes-AMG, and privateer entries fielded by outfits linked to Schnitzer Motorsport and BMW Team Schnitzer.
Winkelhock established a reputation in touring cars during the era of Group A and later DTM regulations. He competed in events alongside drivers from Frank Biela, Klaus Ludwig, Bernd Schneider, Emanuele Pirro, and Jean Alesi, driving machinery developed by BMW M Division and prepared by Schnitzer Motorsport. His results included round wins and podiums in the Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft and the British Touring Car Championship, where he secured the 1993 BTCC title driving a BMW 3 Series in competition featuring rivals from Vauxhall, Volvo, Renault, and Ford. He also contested the European Touring Car Championship and high-profile international touring events promoted by organizations such as the FIA.
Winkelhock's endurance résumé featured starts at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, 24 Hours of Spa, and other long-distance races in the World Sportscar Championship era and subsequent GT categories. He partnered with teams like Schnitzer Motorsport and raced alongside drivers affiliated with Joest Racing, Peugeot Talbot Sport, Porsche AG, and Aston Martin Racing. Participating in prototype and GT classes, he competed in events sanctioned by the FIA World Endurance Championship predecessors, sharing the track with entrants from Mazda Motorsport, Nissan Motorsports, Toyota Gazoo Racing, and Mercedes-AMG customer teams.
Before touring cars, Winkelhock progressed through single-seater categories that served as stepping stones to professional sportscar and touring careers. He raced in junior formulae and lower formula championships that connected to series such as Formula Ford, Formula 3, and national single-seater cups. These categories were stepping stones similar to ladders used by drivers who advanced to Formula One, Formula 3000, and international junior series run by organizers like FIA European Formula 3 Championship and national federations such as the Deutscher Motor Sport Bund.
Winkelhock was known for adaptability across vehicle types, demonstrating pace in both front-engined touring cars and mid-engined prototypes. Contemporary commentators compared his technical feedback and racecraft to peers from Schnitzer Motorsport and factory teams, assessing performances relative to drivers such as Dario Franchitti, Yvan Muller, Gabriele Tarquini, and Alain Menu. His reputation emphasized consistency in endurance stints, qualifying speed in sprint formats, and an ability to collaborate with engineers from BMW Motorsport and privateer workshops.
Winkelhock's legacy endures through influence on touring car development, family contributions to German motorsport, and recognition among fans of series like the British Touring Car Championship and Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft. His career intersected with motorsport institutions including FIA, national clubs like the Automobilclub von Deutschland, and manufacturer motorsport programs at BMW and collaborators in Schnitzer Motorsport. Post-retirement his era is referenced in histories of touring car competition alongside the careers of Klaus Ludwig, Bernd Schneider, Frank Biela, and other notable German drivers.
Category:German racing drivers Category:1960 births Category:Living people