Brad Benavides

Brad Domenico Benavides Agredo (born 20 July 2001) is an American and Spanish fourth in the WSK Champions Cup in 2018 and won the IAME Winter Cup the following year in the X30 Shifter class. 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.

2018–2019: First single-seater years Benavides made his single-seater debut in the final round of the 2018 Euroformula Open Championship for Campos Racing. He finished ninth in the first race, however he didn't score any points as he was classed as a guest driver.

In 2019, Benavides raced for FA Racing in the Formula Renault Eurocup. 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. He finished 23rd in the standings having participated in six out of the ten rounds.

2021: FRECA and second Euroformula Open stint

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

Benavides then joined Carlin for the final three rounds of Euroformula Open. 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.

2022: FIA Formula 3 debut Benavides driving the Dallara F3 2019 during the 2022 Spielberg Formula 3 round. Having tested for Carlin during the 2021 post-season test, Benavides joined the team for the 2022 FIA Formula 3 season. 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. 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. During September, Benavides contested the final day of post-season testing with ART Grand Prix.

2023: Formula 2 debut

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. Shortly after, Benavides was confirmed to drive for the outfit in 2023 alongside Nissany under the new name PHM Racing by Charouz. 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, 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. 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. Before the round at Spa-Francorchamps, it was announced that Benavides would be replaced by Euroformula Open racer Josh Mason. Benavides did not return that year, finishing 22nd in the standings with a highest finish of tenth in the Baku sprint race.

2024: Euroformula Open champion

In 2024, Benavides returned to the Euroformula Open with Team Motopark. He scored his first single-seater win during the opening round in Portimão, and finished runner-up in the other two races. He then took a further win in Hockenheim, before winning twice in Spa-Francorchamps. 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.

2025–2026: Return to Formula 3

In January 2025, Benavides tested for HMD Motorsports during an Indy NXT test at the Sebring International Raceway. 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. He had an anonymous first few rounds, but shocked in Austria with a front row start. 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. He would later secure his first pole in the series in Spa-Francorchamps, but was unable to capitalise on this as the feature was cut short early due to treacherous conditions. He was able to repeat this feat in Monza, and had a fierce battle for the lead but eventually settled for fourth place. 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. He would finish 17th in the sprint race during the opening round at Australia, then improving to seventh during the feature race. During the opening lap of the sprint race at Monaco in the 2026 season, Benavides suffered an injury after his car went over the top of one of his competitors. On a since-deleted instagram story, he said he broke three vertebra in the incident. He was therefore forced to withdraw from the rest of the weekend and take a period of recovery away from racing.

Personal life Benavides was born in Fort Lauderdale, Florida to a Guatemalan father and a Colombian mother, and has roots tracing back to the Spanish town of Benavides, the motto of which he carries on his helmet. He also possesses Spanish and Guatemalan citizenship in addition to his U.S. nationality.

Karting record Karting career summary † As Benavides was a guest driver, he was ineligible to score points.

Racing record

Racing career summary † As Benavides was a guest driver, he was ineligible to score points. Season still in progress.

Complete Euroformula Open Championship results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate points for the fastest lap of top ten finishers)

Complete Formula Renault Eurocup results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap) Year Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Pos Points 2019 FA Racing MNZ1 MNZ2 SIL1 SIL2 MON1 MON2 LEC1 LEC2 SPA1 SPA2 NÜR1 NÜR2 HUN1 HUN2 CAT1 CAT2 HOC1 HOC2 YMC1 YMC2 23rd 0

Complete Formula Regional European Championship results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap) Year Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 DC Points 2021 DR Formula RP Motorsport IMO1 IMO2 CAT1 CAT2 MCO1 MCO2 LEC1 LEC2 ZAN1 ZAN2 SPA1 SPA2 RBR1 RBR2 VAL1 VAL2 MUG1 MUG2 MNZ1 MNZ2 26th 0

Complete FIA Formula 3 Championship results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate points for the fastest lap of top ten finishers) Year Entrant 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 DC Points 2022 Carlin BHRSPR BHRFEA IMOSPR IMOFEA CATSPR CATFEA SILSPR SILFEA RBRSPR RBRFEA HUNSPR HUNFEA SPASPR SPAFEA ZANSPR ZANFEA MNZSPR MNZFEA 23rd 3 2025 AIX Racing MELSPR MELFEA BHRSPR BHRFEA IMOSPR IMOFEA MONSPR MONFEA CATSPR CATFEA RBRSPR RBRFEA SILSPR SILFEA SPASPR SPAFEA HUNSPR HUNFEA MNZSPR MNZFEA 20th 18 2026 AIX Racing MELSPR MELFEA MONSPR MONFEA CATSPR CATFEA RBRSPR RBRFEA SILSPR SILFEA SPASPR SPAFEA HUNSPR HUNFEA MNZSPR MNZFEA MADSPR MADFEA1 MADFEA2 24th* 6* Season still in progress.

Complete Formula Regional Middle East Championship results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap) Year Entrant 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 DC Points 2023 Hyderabad Blackbirds by MP DUB11 DUB12 DUB13 KUW11 KUW12 KUW13 KUW21 KUW22 KUW23 DUB21 DUB22 DUB23 ABU1 ABU2 ABU3 29th 2

Complete FIA Formula 2 Championship results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate points for the fastest lap of top ten finishers) Year Entrant 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 DC Points 2023 PHM Racing by Charouz BHRSPR BHRFEA JEDSPR JEDFEA MELSPR MELFEA BAKSPR BAKFEA MCOSPR MCOFEA CATSPR CATFEA RBRSPR RBRFEA SILSPR SILFEA HUNSPR HUNFEA SPASPR SPAFEA ZANSPR ZANFEA MNZSPR MNZFEA YMCSPR YMCFEA 22nd 0