Benito Guerra Jr

Benito Guerra Jr. is a Mexican rally driver whose peak of a career is a victory in Production class of the World Rally Championship in 2012, at the wheel of Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X.

Earlier in a career, Guerra Jr was the Mexican rally champion in 2006 and 2007, and Spanish gravel rally champion in 2010. Most recently, he competes occasionally in the WRC2 championship with Škoda Fabia R5.

Benito Guerra Jr

Following father's footsteps in classic racing events

Born in March 1985, in a family of racing driver Benito Guerra Sr., Benito Ivan Guerra Latapi was involved into motorsport since the young age, driving little motorbikes. At the age 12, he served his father as a co-driver in the Morelos Classic Rally.

In the same year, a father prepared Datsun 510 for Benito Jr to drive it in classic events. In the following six years, Benito drove himself or served as father's co-driver.

Benito Guerra Jr early in a career

Mexican Rally Championship debut in 2004, WRC debut in 2006

Benito Jr made a debut in the Mexican Rally Championship in 2004, finishing a season third in the overall standings. A year later, he was third again but won the Clio Rally Cup.

In March 2006, Guerra made a World Rally Championship debut at Rally Mexico, driving the #65 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI with Jaime Lozano as his navigator. They finished 26th overall and 15th in N4 class.

Benito Guerra Jr at 2006 Rally Mexico, his first WRC event

Two Mexican rally titles in a row

In 2006, he was driving Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI in national rally championship, taking the championship title and becoming the youngest ever driver with a championship trophy in his hands. Benito's co-drivers that in the victorious season were Jaime Lozano and Marcelo Brizio.

In March 2007, Guerra Jr participated again in the Mexican WRC round, driving a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VIII at Rally Mexico. He retired on the last day. In May, he recorded one more WRC start at Rally Argentina, retiring again.

In the national championship, Benito captured one more title, sharing a car with navigator Sergio Gonzalez. They were winners in six of seven events.

Guerra during the Pirelli Star Driver Shootout in 2008

Class victory at 2008 Rally Mexico

In 2008, Benito started a season with an N4 class win and 14th place overall in the Mexican WRC round, at the wheel of Lancer Evo VIII and with Sergio Gonzalez as his navigator. It was his only WRC event that year.

During the season 2008, Guerra's main competition was the Spanish Gravel Rally Championship with Escuderia Villa de Llanes, driving a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX. He finished second in class N4. His co-driver was Gabriel Suarez.

Spanish Gravel Rally Champion in 2010

In 2009, he continued to race in Spain, finishing fourth overall in the Gravel Rally championship and taking a title in Production class. His navigators in RMC Motorsport's Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X was Daniel Cue. In October 2009, they finished 9th in N4 class at Rallye Catalunya WRC event.

In 2010, his third season in Spain, Guerra Jr finally captured a championship title in the overall classification of the Spanish Gravel Rally Championship. He was sharing a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X with Daniel Cue. In 2010, Guerra Jr also returned to the Mexican WRC round, finishing fourth in PWRC category.

Benito Guerra - Production class World Rally Champion in 2012

Production class World rally champion in 2012

In 2011, Guerra Jr left national rallying and became a full-time Production WRC competitor. In six PWRC events, sharing a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X with Borja Rozada, he scored one podium (Rally Catalunya) to finish sixth in the points.

Next year, a pair Guerra/Rozada won the championship, scoring three wins in six PWRC events. They were winners at Rally Mexico, Rally Argentina and Rally Catalunya.

Benito Guerra Jr at 2012 Race of Champions

Representing Team Americas at 2012 Race of Champions

As a newly crowned PWRC champion, Guerra Jr has been invited to the annual Race of Champions event which took place in December in Bangkok. He was representing Team American together with IndyCar champion Ryan Hunter-Reay.

Benito recorded two wins and one defeat in the Nations Cup. In the individual races, he was defeated three times.

Benito Guerra Jr made a debut in a World Raly Car in 2013

Scoring WRC points in a debut with World Rally Car

In 2013, Guerra didn’t race much due to lack of sponsorship money. However, he made a debut in a World Rally Car, driving the #14 Citroen DS3 WRC at Rally Mexico. He finished 8th, earning four championship points. In October, he recorded one more WRC start, driving a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X to the 14th place at Rally Catalunya.

In 2014, he repeated a participation in the same two WRC events, scoring even better results. At 2014 Rally Mexico, Guerra finished sixth in the #11 Ford Fiesta RS WRC. At Rally Catalunya, he was fourth in WRC2 class in a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X.

Benito Guerra Jr at 2016 Rally Mexico

Full-time WRC2 campaign in 2017

In the following years, Guerra Jr raced occasionally in selected national events and in the Mexican WRC round. At 2015 Rally Mexico, he finished 12th in a Ford Fiesta RS WRC. At 2016 Rally Mexico, he was 13th with the same car.

In 2017, Guerra returned to full-time rallying, participating in six WRC events as a WRC2 competitor. He was driving a Škoda Fabia R5 for Motorsport Italia team. He scored three WRC2 podiums, finishing third at Rally Mexico, Rally Argentina and Rally Catalunya. He was fifth in the final WRC2 points.

Benito Guerra started to race with Škoda Fabia R5 in 2017

One victory and two more WRC2 podiums in 2019

In 2018, Guerra planned to participate at Rally Mexico with Škoda Fabia R5 but his car was destroyed by fire before the event and he didn’t start. Later in the season, he participated in four WRC events.

In March 2019, he finished sixth overall and the best in WRC2 class at Rally Mexico. Later in the season, he scored two more WRC2 podiums in Argentina and Chile, finishing third in the WRC2 standings at the end of the season.

In March 2o20, still in a Škoda Fabia R5, he finished 20th overall and tenth among RC2 driver at Rally Mexico.

Photos: Benito Guerra Jr, Luis Acosta/Getty Images, Marek Felt, Krists Andersons, Maciej Niechwiadowicz/ewrc.results.com,