Born in Waiblingen, near Stuttgart, Winkelhock began his racing career at the age of 24, winning the Volkswagen Junior Cup. He then joined BMW's junior team, racing BMW 320 Group 5 cars alongside Eddie Cheever and Marc Surer. In 1978, he competed in touring cars and Formula Two, finishing eighth overall in his first Formula Two season. He continued in Formula Two until the end of 1981, achieving several podium finishes but no victories. During his Formula Two career, he survived significant crashes at the Nürburgring Nordschleife, including one in 1981 where his car backflipped at Quiddelbach.
Winkelhock's first Formula One opportunity came in 1980, when he attempted to qualify for the Italian Grand Prix with Arrows as a substitute for the injured Jochen Mass, but failed to make the grid. He secured a full-time drive with the ATS team in 1982, scoring points with a fifth-place finish at the Brazilian Grand Prix. This would be his only points finish in Formula One. He remained with ATS for 1983 and 1984, during which BMW became the team's engine supplier. Despite frequently qualifying well, reliability issues and accidents limited his race results. He drove for Arrows, ATS, Brabham, and RAM Racing during his Formula One career. In 1984, he also participated in the Portuguese Grand Prix for Brabham, finishing tenth. For 1985, he joined the Skoal Bandit sponsored RAM Racing team, but experienced a frustrating season with numerous retirements and a best finish of 12th at the French Grand Prix.
Alongside his Formula One commitments, Winkelhock was active in sports car racing. He competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans three times, achieving a sixth-place overall finish and second in class in 1979, driving a BMW M1 Group 4 painted by Andy Warhol. In 1985, he formed a successful pairing with Marc Surer for Kremer Racing in a Porsche 962C, winning the 1000 km of Monza and finishing second at Mugello and fourth at Silverstone. On 11 August 1985, during the 1000 km of Mosport World Endurance Championship event in Canada, Winkelhock crashed heavily at Turn 2 while driving his Porsche 962C. He sustained massive head injuries and, despite medical efforts, died in a Toronto hospital the following day, 12 August 1985.
Manfred Winkelhock was the older brother of Joachim Winkelhock and Thomas Winkelhock, both of whom also became racing drivers. His son, Markus Winkelhock, also pursued a racing career, participating in the 2007 European Grand Prix for Spyker and later winning the 2012 FIA GT1 World Championship.
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