From correspondents in Europe, 06:31 PM IST

Markus Winkelhock will become the latest son of a famous driver to race in Formula One.

The 27-year-old German, son the late F1 and sportscar driver Manfred Winkelhock, will drive for Spyker in Sunday's European Grand Prix at the Nurburgring track here, reports BBC.

He replaces Dutchman Christijan Albers, who was dropped because of lack of sponsorship after the British grand prix two weeks ago.

Winkelhock, Spyker's reserve driver, said the chance at Nurburgring was 'a dream come true'.

Team boss Colin Kolles gave him a chance because of Winkelhock's knowledge of his home track.

'I was very surprised to get the call from Colin as I did not think I would have this chance,' said Winkelhock.

'It's now the only German race on the calendar.

'It is also very important personally for myself and my family.

'This was the last track on which my father raced in F1 before he died. Now I can make my debut on that track.

'When I told my family, my mother was a bit emotional. She is very happy I can achieve something I have wanted for so long.'

'It's very much a one-off race at the moment,' said Kolles, adding that the team had not yet decided who would partner their other driver Adrian Sutil, also a German, for the rest of the season.

Manfred Winkelhock developed a reputation for bravery when he drove 47 races for the middling ATS, Arrows and RAM teams in the 1980s.

He was also well known for doing a 360-degree somersault in a Formula Two March at the famous Nurburgring Nordschleife track in 1980.

He was killed in a crash in a World Sportscar Championship race at Canada's Mosport Park in 1985.

Other sons who have followed their fathers into F1 include the 1996 and 1997 world champions Damon Hill and Jacques Villeneuve, and the current Williams driver Nico Rosberg.

(Staff Writer, © IANS)