Luis Perez-Companc

Luis Perez-Companc is a former rally and racing driver from Argentina who was active until 2014. Perez-Companc first made an impressive career in rallying, scoring 25 starts in the World Rally Championship from 2001 to 2008 and winning the national rally title in Argentina in 2005.

In 2008, Perez-Companc switched to sports car racing, driving Ferraris and different prototypes for seven seasons. He scored two class podiums at Le Mans 24 Hours - the LMP2 podium in 2012 with Oreca-Nissan and the GTE Am podium in 2014 with Ferrari 458 Italia GTC.

Luis Perez-Companc

WRC debut at 2001 Rally Argentina

Luis Perez-Companc made a World Rally Championship debut in 2001 in his home event, the Rally Argentina. He was driving a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI with Jose Maria Volta as his navigator, finishing fourth in the PWRC category. Later that year, Perez-Companc spent a season in the Argentinean rally championship, finishing in the tenth place.

In 2002, Perez-Companc improved his performance in the national championship, finishing 8th in the points. In the WRC, he made two starts with Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VII, at Cyprus Rally and Rally Argentina, retiring in both events because of accidents.

Switching to World Rally Cars in 2003

Perez-Companc retired at Rally Argentina again in 2003, driving a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VII. In that year's national championship, he finished fourth. Close to the end of the season, he switched from Group N Mitsubishi to his first World Rally Car, driving a Toyota Corolla WRC in three national events and winning two times.

In 2004, Perez-Companc continued to use Toyota Corolla WRC in the national championship but switched to Peugeot 206 WRC in the World Rally Championship, driving for Bozian Racing in four events. He retired three times and finished sixth at Rally Argentina, scoring his first championship points.

Luis Perez-Companc (right) and Jose Maria Volta in 2005

Argentinean rally champion in 2005

In 2005, Perez-Companc finally managed to win the Argentinean Rally Championship, scoring six wins in a Toyota Corolla WRC. His navigator was Jose Maria Volta.

In 2005, Perez-Companc secured two WRC starts with BP Ford World Rally Team, driving the #15 Ford Focus RS WRC 04 at Rally New Zealand and Rally Argentina. He crashed out at New Zealand and finished 14th in his home event.

Luis Perez Companc in 2006

2006 WRC season with Stobart VK Ford Rally Team

For the 2006 WRC season, Perez-Companc moved to the newly-formed Stobart VK Ford Rally Team, alongside Malcolm Wilson's son Matthew Wilson. Perez-Wilson was sharing the #10 Ford Focus RS WRC with Finnish driver Kosti Katajamaki, participating in six WRC events in that car and two events in the #23 Ford.

The highlight of the season was seventh place at Rally New Zealand and two championship points on Perez-Companc's account. Besides his WRC commitments, he won one national event in a Toyota Corolla WRC.

Munchi's Ford World Rally Team has been established in 2007

Forming the Munchi's Ford World Rally Team in 2007

In 2007, Perez-Companc formed the Munchi's Ford World Rally Team, named after his family's ice cream parlor chain. He was driving the #11 Ford Focus RS WRC 06 in ten rounds, giving the second car to Juan Pablo Raies and Federico Villagra. The team reached a peak at Rally Japan, when both cars finished in the points, Perez-Companc in the fifth place and Villagra in the seventh place.

In 2008, Perez-Companc participated in his last two WRC events, at Rally Argentina and Rally Finland, retiring in both events. That year, the team collected plenty of points with Federico Villagra and Henning Solberg as drivers.

At the end of the season, Perez-Companc closed his rally career but the Munchi's Ford WRT was active until 2011, running Fords for Federico Villagra.

Starting sports car racing career in 2008

Luis Perez-Companc started his new career in the sports car racing in 2008, spending a season in the FIA GT Championship with Advanced Engineering/Pecom Racing.

He was driving the #95 Ferrari F430 GTC in nine events, scoring one GT2 class victory in the Argentinean round at San Luis, sharing a car with Matias Russo. Perez-Companc finished the season 11th in the final GT2 classification.

Luis Perez-Companc in 2009

2009 – debut at Sebring 12h and Le Mans 24h

In 2009, Perez-Companc made a debut at Sebring 12 Hours in Pecom Racing's Ferrari, finishing second in GT2 class together with Matias Russo and Gianmaria Bruni. The same trio participated in June at Le Mans 24 Hours in the #78 AF Corse Ferrari F430 GTC, finishing 6th in GT2 class.

In the 2009 FIA GT Championship, Perez-Companc scored a class victory at Spa 24 Hours, sharing the #50 AF Corse Ferrari with Jaime Melo, Toni Vilander and Gianmaria Bruni. He finished sixth in the final GT2 classification of the championship.

In 2010, Perez-Companc was driving the #94 AF Corse Ferrari F430 GTC in the Le Mans Series,  not scoring wins or podiums in five rounds. He skipped Le Mans race after practice accident.

2011 – a season in a Lola-Judd LMP2 prototype

In 2011, Perez-Companc switched from Ferrari to LMP2 prototype, driving the #39 Lola B11/47-Judd for Pecom Racing in the Le Mans Series.

Sharing a car with Matias Russo and Pierre Kaffer, he scored one podium. At Le Mans, a trio in the #39 Lola retired after 139 laps.

Luis Perez-Companc was driving the #49 Oreca for two seasons

Le Mans podium and one FIA WEC victory in 2012

In 2012, Pecom Racing switched to Oreca 03-Nissan LMP2 prototype, participating in the inaugural season of revived FIA World Endurance Championship. Perez-Companc and Pierre Kaffer were full-time drivers in the #49 Oreca, with Soheil Ayari as a co-driver in four races and Nicolas Minassian in four races.

Perez-Companc, Kaffer and Ayari finished third in the LMP2 class at Le Mans. In the FIA WEC, their only victory was at Bahrain 6 Hours.

One more FIA WEC season in the #49 Oreca

Perez-Companc spent one more season in the #49 Pecom Racing Oreca 03-Nissan, sharing a car with Nicolas Minassian and Pierre Kaffer in all eight rounds of the FIA World Endurance Championship.

They were LMP2 class winners at Spa 6 Hours and added three more podiums to finish fourth in the championship. At Le Mans, the #49 Oreca finished fourth in LMP2 class.

Luis Perez-Companc with teammates at 2014 Le Mans 24 Hours

One more Le Mans class podium before the end of a career

In 2014, Perez-Companc rejoined AF Corse, driving the #61 Ferrari 458 Italia GTC in the GTE Am class of the FIA World Endurance Championship. His partners were Marco Cioci and Mirko Venturi.

They were class winners at Spa and finished third in class at Le Mans 24 Hours. The team withdrew from the championship after four rounds. A withdrawal from the championship also marked the end of a career for Perez-Companc.

Photos: Marek Felt, Dan Vrubel, motorsport.com,