DTM race outing for Spyker’s Winkelhock 16 May 2007
Spyker test driver Markus Winkelhock is to compete for Audi in the German DTM series this weekend. Winkelhock will deputise for Danish sportscar legend Tom Kristensen, who is still recovering from a serious accident earlier this year.
Winkelhock, who last raced in DTM back in 2004, will fly directly from this week’s Formula One test at Paul Ricard in France to the EuroSpeedway Lausitz event on Thursday afternoon.
"I’m extremely happy to get this chance from Audi - even though I know how difficult it will be,” said the 26-year-old German. "I’ve followed every race since I left the DTM. The difference in performance between the cars is now miniscule, especially this year.”
It will be Winkelhock’s first experience of a current-generation DTM car.
"Of course things aren’t made any easier for me since I was unable to test beforehand," he added. "However, I’m a driver who can normally get used to new cars, new circuits and environments very quickly. I hope that I live up to my own expectations and can produce the best for Audi.”
Winkelhock’s will not be the only Formula One presence at Lausitz. Red Bull test driver Michael Ammermuller is scheduled to perform a demonstration run in the team’s current RB3 machine.
