By Huw Alban
November 22 2005

Today has come the official news that Markus Winkelhock’s Midland F1 test has been confirmed, and he’s more than a little chuffed. The young German will make is Formula One debut with the team in early December at Jerez. "It's a great feeling!" said Winkelhock. "When my manager called me to say that the test was confirmed, I just couldn't believe it! My target is to do this test and demonstrate that I deserve a place in the Team as an Official test driver. They need money and for sure they need a paying driver for 2006. I am not paying for this test as they invited me, so now I have to thank them and do my job as well as I can."

"It is a strange feeling to know I will be getting behind the wheel of a Formula 1 car 20 years after my father died,” he added. Manfred Winkelhock died after a racing accident in 1985. “Of course my mother is very pleased for me but obviously she is still scared about my career. My father died whilst racing and she knows that my target is to get into Formula 1, but she accepts this challenge and all of the consequences."