24 Hour Man of the Year

If anyone was born to race, it’s Audi driver Markus Winkelhock, who again starred in 2017 behind the wheel of the Audi R8 LMS.

Racing in competitions all over the globe, Winkelhock again stamped his authority on major endurances races this year, earning the 37-year-old racer the title of 24 Hour Man of the Year at the recent 50th Essen Motor Show, where Auto Bild Motorsport magazine unveiled the winners of its 2017 awards at their Race Night celebrations.

In 2017, Winkelhock won the Nürburgring 24 Hours with Audi for the third time, as well as the Spa 24 Hours for the second time. In addition, he mounted the very top of the podium in the Laguna Seca 8 Hours and won the Intercontinental GT Challenge. 

In all of these races and race series, he shared an Audi R8 LMS GT3 with his teammates which Audi Sport customer racing offers as a customer sport race car for the worldwide GT3 category. In addition, he was given the honour of presenting the Audi R8 LMS GT4 in the United Arab Emirates for the first time at this year’s Dubai International Motor Show 

Never far from a race car or a motorsport event, Winkelhock also provided specialist support once again for up and coming race drivers at the Audi academy and those racing in the one make Audi TT Sport Cup. In addition he once again visited Australia and took on the Bathurst 12 Hour event at the start of the year, although success Down under continues to elude him.

Nevertheless, his success in 2017 make him one of the most accomplished GT drivers and his victory in the awards is well deserved.