Brad Benavides

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Benavides started his karting career in 2016. He finished ninth in the 2017 WSK Final Cup in the KZ2-class,^[3] fourth in the WSK Champions Cup in 2018 and won the IAME Winter Cup the following year in the X30 Shifter class.^[4] Two years later, he came 11th in the KZ category of the Spanish Karting Championship with two wins, having missed the final two rounds due to his racing commitments.^[5]

Benavides made his single-seater debut in the final round of the 2018 Euroformula Open Championship for Campos Racing.^[6] He finished ninth in the first race, however he didn't score any points as he was classed as a guest driver.^[7]

In 2019, Benavides raced for FA Racing in the Formula Renault Eurocup.^[8] He scored no points, and with a best race finish of eighth in Spa-Francorchamps but was later kicked out of the points due to a post race penalty.^[9] He finished 23rd in the standings having participated in six out of the ten rounds.^[10]

Benavides was expected to race for DR Formula RP Motorsport during the 2020 Formula Regional European Championship, but did not appear in any rounds.^[11] However, after a one-year hiatus Benavides made his return to racing in the Formula Regional European Championship with DR Formula RP Motorsport.^[12] During the opening round in Imola, Benavides retired from the first race, but finished 14th in race two.^[13] He then raced in four more rounds until he left the championship midway through the ten rounds.^[14]

Benavides then joined Carlin for the final three rounds of Euroformula Open.^[15][16] He would score points in all but one of the races that he competed in, and with a highest finish of sixth during the final round in Barcelona, he finished 13th in the standings.

Having tested for Carlin during the 2021 post-season test, Benavides joined the team for the 2022 FIA Formula 3 season.^[17] He struggled to score points all season, though mixed weather during qualifying at Spa allowed him to start near the front during the sprint race, from where he would go on to finish eighth, scoring his only points of the season.^[18] He ended the season 23rd in the standings with three points, ahead of teammate Enzo Trulli but far from other teammate and Williams Driver Academy member Zak O'Sullivan.^[19] During September, Benavides contested the final day of post-season testing with ART Grand Prix.^[20]

In November 2022, Benavides would compete in the Formula 2 post-season test for Charouz Racing System, partnering F2 veteran Roy Nissany at the Yas Marina Circuit.^[21] Shortly after, Benavides was confirmed to drive for the outfit in 2023 alongside Nissany under the new name PHM Racing by Charouz.^[22][23] He prepared for the season by competing in the Formula Regional Middle East Championship at the start of the year with Hyderabad Blackbirds by MP Motorsport,^[24] taking two points finishes and notably being involved in a crash at Kuwait Motor Town where his car flipped over several cars, Benavides narrowly outqualified teammate Nissany during his Formula 2 debut.^[25] The year would become a struggle, as Benavides failed to score points throughout the campaign. In addition, he would become involved in multiple incidents, namely a collision with Amaury Cordeel in Jeddah, crashes at Melbourne and Baku, and a retirement on the opening lap of the Silverstone sprint race after being spun around by Clément Novalak.^{[26][27][28][29]} Before the round at Spa-Francorchamps, it was announced that Benavides would be replaced by Euroformula Open racer Josh Mason.^[30] Benavides did not return that year, finishing 22nd in the standings with a highest finish of tenth in the Baku sprint race.

In 2024, Benavides returned to the Euroformula Open with Team Motopark.^[31] He scored his first single-seater win during the opening round in Portimão, and finished runner-up in the other two races.^[32][33] He then took a further win in Hockenheim,^[34] before winning twice in Spa-Francorchamps.^[35] He went on to win once during each round of the remainder of the season, allowing Benavides to clinch the title with a round to spare.^[36]

In January 2025, Benavides tested for HMD Motorsports during an Indy NXT test at the Sebring International Raceway.^[37] However, Benavides returned to FIA Formula 3 for the 2025 season, driving for AIX Racing starting at round three in Imola. He completed the rest of the season with the team, partnering Nicola Marinangeli and James Hedley.^[38] He had an anonymous first few rounds, but shocked in Austria with a front row start.^[39] His sprint race was compromised by contact with rivals, but was able to secure his first points in the feature race despite a trip to the gravel trap, placing in ninth place.^[40] He would later secure his first pole in the series in Spa-Francorchamps,^[41][42] but was unable to capitalise on this as the feature was cut short early due to treacherous conditions.^[43] He was able to repeat this feat in Monza,^[44][45] and had a fierce battle for the lead but eventually settled for fourth place.^[46] Despite not contesting in two rounds that season, he finished 20th in the standings with eighteen points.

Benavides continued with AIX Racing for a full season in 2026, alongside teammates Fernando Barrichello and Yevan David.^[47]

Benavides lives in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.^[48] He also possesses Spanish and Guatemalan citizenship in addition to his U.S. nationality.

Season	Series	Team	Position
2016	South Garda Winter Cup — OKJ		52nd
	CIK-FIA European Championship — OKJ		NC†
2017	South Garda Winter Cup — KZ2		65th
	Trofeo delle Industrie — KZ2	CPB Sport	27th
	WSK Super Master Series — KZ2		75th
	Coupe de France — KZ2		40th
	International Super Cup — KZ2		78th
	WSK Final Cup — KZ2	CPB Sport	9th
2018	WSK Champions Cup — KZ2	CPB Sport	4th
	WSK Super Master Series — KZ2		26th
	WSK Open Cup — KZ2		17th
	CIK-FIA European Championship — KZ2	CPB Sport	39th
	International Super Cup — KZ2		104th
2019	IAME Winter Cup — X30 Shifter	Campos Racing	1st
2020	Champions of the Future — KZ2		9th
2021	WSK Champions Cup — KZ2		29th
	WSK Super Master Series — KZ2		50th
	Spanish Karting Championship — KZ	DMK Racing Team	11th

^† As Benavides was a guest driver, he was ineligible to score points.