Brad Benavides: My Greatest Influences

17 April 2023

PHM Racing by Charouz’s Brad Benavides has been battling away after his promotion from Formula 3 to Formula 2, and the American has plenty of drive in him.

Three sporting figures stand out to him, both in F1, football and Olympic swimming, but there’s a family aspect that drives Benavides on with every race.

FATHER

“I'd say obviously the first one my dad, for sure he's my hero, because he's taught me everything that I know. It's been because of my dad's philosophy that I managed the way that I do and approach racing and competition in general.

“He was an Olympic athlete in swimming I have the memory, I was a swimmer, and on paper, I was supposed to follow his footsteps into being a professional swimmer. But when I was 15, it all changed and that's when I decided to just stick to karting.

“But he's always had the athlete mentality, the winning mentality and mindset. He has had that mentality for most of his life, in even in swimming, and then he’s passed on that mentality to me.”

LIONEL MESSI

“I really liked the fact that he kept at it until he finally got the World Cup. Especially how the World Cup went, how Argentina went through the World Cup. The first match, not winning against Saudi Arabia and then through that adversity, he was able to really switch on and make his team really fight back and ultimately, he achieved the greatest success really in football. I think that was really inspiring and that really sent an amazing message. I really liked that one.

"After the US went out, I was supporting Argentina. I know Spain went out in the Round of 16. Actually, as soon as Spain and the US were eliminated, I was following Argentina.”

SERGIO PEREZ

“I really like Sergio Perez. I think he's a really good representation of tenacity not just in Formula 1, but in general. He always carries himself with a never give up style. You can really see that in his in his career. I don't know how many Grands Prix it took for him to finally get his first win in Bahrain, it was like 10 years, and then he got that first win in Formula 1. I think that's crazy, the tenacity that he had. I think it's not really matched by any other driver at the moment. So I really admire that.

“He's always raced against all odds, especially in his first GP win. He was basically out of the sport at that point in the year and he won, that's literally what kept him in the sport. I look at him and he's bringing the competition to the one of the greatest drivers of the sport, and that longevity he has within the sport and is never giving up. I sort of reflect that on my career as well because even though I started quite late in motorsport, how it's gone so far, it's I still haven't been on the podium, but I've also haven't really raced in many single seater championships. They've always been at a really high level, so I share that idea of his tenacity because in my career, it's basically where I'm at at the moment. So, I'm never giving up really dedicating my whole life for that mission that I have.”