Benito Guerra Jr. facts for kids
Guerra Jr. with Javier Lozano (left), in 2005
|
|
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Nationality |  Mexican |
| Born | 25 March 1985 |
| World Rally Championship record | |
| Active years | 2006 – 2020, 2022 |
| Co-driver |  Daniel Cué Borja Rozada |
| Teams | Ralliart, Motorsport Italia |
| Rallies | 44 |
| Championships | 0 |
| Rally wins | 0 |
| Podiums | 0 |
| Stage wins | 0 |
| Total points | 22 |
| First rally | 2006 Rally México |
| Last rally | 2022 Rally de Portugal |
Benito Iván Guerra Latapí (born March 25, 1985) is a super fast Mexican rally driver. He competes in exciting car races called rallies, where drivers race on special roads, often dirt or gravel, against the clock. In 2013, he raced for a private team called Citroën Racing in the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) with his co-driver Borja Rozada.
Benito Guerra Jr. made history in 2012 when he won the Production World Rally Championship (PWRC). This made him a World Champion, which is a huge achievement in motorsport!
Contents
About Benito Guerra Jr.
Benito comes from a family that loves racing. His dad, Benito Guerra Sr., is also a racing driver who enjoys competing in classic car races like the La Carrera Panamericana. His mom, Mercedes Guerra, is an accountant. Benito also has a younger sister named Mercedes, who is a big fan of car racing, just like him!
Benito's Racing Journey
Starting Out: 2006 – 2010
Benito Guerra Jr. first joined the World Rally Championship (WRC) in 2006 at a race in his home country, Rally Mexico. He finished that race in 26th place. In 2007, he tried two more rallies but had to stop early because of car problems.
In 2008, he finished 14th at 2008 Rally México and won the Group N category, which is for cars that are very similar to regular production cars. He then won the Spanish Production title in 2009 and the Spanish gravel title in 2010. In 2010, he finished 15th overall and fourth in the PWRC at 2010 Rally México.
Making Progress: 2011
The year 2011 was important for Benito. He finished 11th at 2011 Rally México and then decided to focus on the PWRC series. He did very well, finishing fourth in Portugal and Australia, and third in Spain. By the end of the 2011 season, Benito Guerra Jr. was sixth overall in the PWRC, earning 47 points.
Becoming a World Champion: 2012
The year 2012 was amazing for Benito! He and his co-driver Borja Rozada won three big rallies: Mexico, Argentina, and Spain. They also got a second-place finish in Germany.
These great results helped them win the PWRC World Championship with 109 points! This made Benito Guerra Jr. the first Mexican rally driver to ever win a World Championship. He was also the second Mexican to win a world title in motorsport, following Pedro Rodríguez, who won in 1970 and 1971 in sports car racing.
Race of Champions 2012
Because he won the PWRC championship in 2012, Benito Guerra Jr. was invited to a special event called the Race of Champions. This event brings together top drivers from different types of racing to compete against each other. It was held in Bangkok from December 14 to 16, 2012. Benito got to race alongside famous drivers like Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel.
Benito was part of "Team Americas" with Ryan Hunter-Reay, who was the 2012 IndyCar Series champion. Benito was very excited, saying it was "fantastic for my career." In the "Nations Cup" race, Benito beat Jorge Lorenzo and even Sébastien Ogier, who was the 2011 Race of Champions winner. However, his team was eliminated early. In the "Champion of Champions" event, Benito was out in the first round. The overall winner of the 2012 Race of Champions was F1 driver Romain Grosjean.
Racing in WRC: 2013
In 2013, Benito Guerra Jr. faced a challenge because he didn't have enough sponsors to race in all the WRC events. However, he did get to compete in his home rally, Rally Mexico. He raced with Citroën Racing, a private team in the WRC, and his co-driver Borja Rozada.
Even though it was his first race in the main WRC category as a rookie, Benito did incredibly well! He finished 8th overall, earning his first four points for the championship. This was a fantastic start for him in the top level of rally racing.
Winning Again: 2019
Benito Guerra Jr. showed his skill again in 2019 at the 2019 Race of Champions, which was held in Mexico City. He won the final race, beating French driver Loïc Duval. On his way to the final, Benito defeated many other famous drivers, including Sebastian Vettel, Pierre Gasly, Daniel Suárez, and Esteban Gutiérrez. It was a big win for him in front of his home crowd!
See also
In Spanish: Benito Guerra Jr. para niños
