Nestor 'Bebu' Girolami

Nestor Girolami is an Argentine racing driver best-known after his performances in touring car racing. He's a two-time champion of TC2000 series in Argentina, in 2014 and 2015, driving for Peugeot.

He made a WTCC debut in 2015 but his first full season was 2017, when he was driving for Volvo, scoring one victory. Currently, he competes in the WTCR - FIA World Touring Car Cup.

Nestor Girolami

Early career

Nestor Adrian Girolami was born on May 22, 1989 in Isla Verde, Cordoba Province. Bebu, what is Nestor’s nickname, began his career in karting at the age of 10. Until the end of 2005 he won numerous national and regional titles in all categories and in various classes, so he entered the world of single-seaters with a good reputation.

In 2005 Girolami debuted in the Formula Renault 1.6 Argentina series and scored one podium finish before taking the 12th place overall. In the following season he was the series runner-up, with two wins and other four podiums. The same year Bebu also had a one-off appearance in the Italian Formula Renault 2.0 with Jenzer Motorsport and despite a solid performance, he left formula racing and switched to touring cars

Bebu had very successful career in karting.

Switch to touring cars

The season of 2007 was Girolami’s first in the popular TC 2000 Argentina series. As a driver of Honda Racing Dowen Pagio team, Nestor scored a single podium place and finished 15th in the final classification. In the following campaign Girolami raced in various national championships and score victory at San Luis in the TC Pista Argentina series.

In 2009 Girolami became official Renault driver in the TC 2000 Series but the results weren’t impressive as he finished 12th overall. However, his progress was evident in the following year when Nestor scored his maiden win in the series. Driving the Honda Civic, Nestor triumphed in the race at Resistencia and moved up to the 8th position in the championship. At the same time, the Argentinian continued to race part-time in other national championships like Turismo Carretera.

Néstor Girolami

Preparations for the success

Girolami shared his duties between TC 2000, Turismo Carretera Argentina, and Top Race V6 in 2011 but the results weren’t at the highest level. However, the best result that year was a victory in the Top Race V6 championship at La Rioja. In the same series Girolami finished 8th in the standings. Although he won 2 out of 12 races in Turismo Carretera that year, Bebu finished 20th in the Drivers’ Championship, while in TC 2000 Series he was 15th.

Fortunately, the following year was better. As a member of Peugeot Cobra Team, Girolami scored two wins and a total of six podiums in the Super TC 2000 before taking the 3rd position in the standings. Driving a Torino Coupe in Turismo Carretera Argentina he also did pretty well and took the 7th place overall, with one race win on his account.

Torino of Nestor Girolami

Nestor stayed in both championships for 2013 campaign but failed to repeat good results from the previous year. His only victory that year was in Turismo Carretera but the 30th place in the championship definitely wasn’t a success. In the Super TC 2000, Girolami finished 7th overall, without a single win on his account.

Nestor Girolami was Súper TC 2000 Series champion

In 2014 Girolami finally reached the top of the Super TC 2000 Argentina Series. Driving a Peugeot 408 he won three races and had other three podiums, as well as four pole positions and fastest laps what was enough for the title.

Nestor Girolami was TC2000 champion in 2014 and 2015

Nestor defended his crown in 2015. Driving the same car like in the previous year, he won two races and had a total of six podiums and after a huge battle with Leonel Pernia won his second title in the most popular national championship.

In 2015 Girolami debuted in the WTCC

Girolami’s compatriot Jose Maria Lopez dominated the FIA World Touring Cars Championship with Citroen from 2014 to 2016 while Nestor debuted in the WTCC with Nika Racing’s Honda in 2015. He raced with the team in Slovakia and Portugal and scored in two out four races.

In the following year Girolami drove the Polestar Cyan Racing’s Volvo S60 in the WTCC Race of Japan at Motegi and scored points in both races. Parallel to his duties in the WTCC, Girolami in 2016 raced full-time with Peugeot team in the Stock Car Brasil championship and also with Ford in the Top race V6 series in Argentina

Bebu in 2014 debuted in the WTCC driving a Honda Civic

2017 - full WTCC season with Volvo

After solid performances in the Japanese WTCC round in 2016, Volvo decided to sign Girolami for the 2017 WTCC season. He was driving the #61 Volvo S60 Polestar TC1, scoring maiden WTCC podium in the season-opening round at Marrakesh. The maiden win came in the Chinese round.

In the season-closing round at Losail International Circuit he was replaced by former WTCC champion Yvan Muller, who helped the team to secure Teams' title. Girolami ended a season ninth in the final drivers' standings.

In 2017, Girolami was driving for Volvo WTCC team

Return to the world's scene in 2019

In 2018, Nestor returned to South American touring car competitions. He was most successful in the Top Race V6 Argentina, finishing third in the points.

The return to the world's scene followed in 2019 when he joined Münnich Motorsport to drive Honda Civic Type R TCR in the WTCR - FIA World Touring Car Cup, alongside another Argentinean Esteban Guerrieri as his teammate.

Photo: motorsportal.com.au, bebugirolami.com, deportelauquen.com.ar, elequipo-deportea.com