More than a race, it is a historic experience, join us on this journey and celebrate with us 75 years since the birth of The Legend.
Recognized as one of the most iconic rallies in the world, the Carrera Panamericana covers more than 3,000 kilometers in an incredible eight-day journey, crossing Mexico's most impressive and representative landscapes.
It's a race where adrenaline is pumping on roads closed to traffic, thanks to the support of the federal government, combining stages of speed, motorsports history, tourism, and the warmth of one of the most hospitable countries in the world.
Learn about La Carrera de México from its birth to the commemoration of its 75th Anniversary.
OLD STAGE
Known worldwide in its initial stage as The Mexican Road Race, the automobile sports competition would be called La Carrera Panamericana, a rally-type sporting event, classified as one of the most important of its kind and the longest in the world, which even surpassed the Mile Miglia and Targa Florio races in Italy.
The history of La Carrera is divided into two stages: the old one that goes from 1950 to 1954, where the great drivers made their appearance aboard vehicles with renowned brands such as Ferrari, Osca, Lancia, Mercedes, Porsche or Masserati, in addition to the North American Ford and Oldsmobile.
The Carrera Panamericana dates back to the initiative of Don Enrique Martín Moreno, who, together with the ANA organizing committee and with the support of the Mexican government headed by the President of the Republic Miguel Alemán, organized the first five editions of La Carrera, those of 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953 and 1954.
It wasn't until the fatal accident in 1955 during the 24 Hours of Le Mans Rally in France that the Mexican government decided to suspend the race in 1956 for safety reasons.
1950
1950, the start of “La Panamericana”
The Carrera Panamericana was born in 1950, it was an extremely tough speed test, which took place on a section of the recently built Pan-American Highway, whose route in Mexican territory began in Ciudad Juárez and ended at the border with Guatemala, El Ocotal, with an approximate length of 3000 km.
Lasting four to six days, with truly difficult stages, the event featured dirt or paved roads.
The route was characterized by its different altitudes, crossing altitudes from 1,200m to 3,000m in a single day, with sprint stages due to its long straights, and speeds sometimes exceeding 230km/h, in addition to the great power of some of the vehicles.
It was 1950 when the Mexican government decided to support Martín Moreno's idea to hold a large-scale international event touring the country with the goal of promoting tourism and opening business opportunities for investors, as well as raising awareness of the newly created Pan-American Highway that ran through the country.
This is how the largest automotive sporting event in our country originated.
President Miguel Alemán Valdés, a car enthusiast, was delighted with the idea and appointed Antonio Cornejo as director of the event, which would go on to captivate the automotive community in Mexico and around the world. Thus, the first event was funded by the federal government, state governments, the contractors who built the highway, and some members of the national automotive industry.
Alemán Valdés sponsored two cars in the race. One of them, known as the "Mexico Car," was driven by Rodolfo Castañeda, who rolled his vehicle twice during the second stage, eliminating any chance of victory and finishing in 25th place.
The other car was registered by the National Autonomous University of Mexico, the president's alma mater.
Jointly, the event had the moral support of the American racing driver community, including Wilbur Shaw, Director of the Indianapolis Speedway, and Eddie Rickenbacker, a World War I pilot. Thanks to them and the promotion they both carried out in the northern country in favor of The Race, many of the American competitors decided to attend the automotive competition.
It was May 5th in Cd. Juárez, Chihuahua, a Mexican town that borders the United States, and the race began with nine stages spread over those six days, ending on May 10th in Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas, in the south of our country, traveling through the desert plains of the north, the mountains of the central region, and the tropical rainforest of the south, landscapes that highlighted the impressive engineering work of the Pan-American Highway.
One concern among the organizers was the safety of the drivers, which is why the use of seat belts was emphasized, a measure taken twenty years before Formula 1 did. Competitors were also given the option of purchasing additional insurance for themselves and their vehicles.
In those days, the quality of tires was lower than it is today, and the road wasn't completely smooth, so tires had to be replaced frequently. Some vehicles had their tires replaced up to four times, a total of 16 tires in just six days.
In the 1950 edition, the first participant to register was the Mexican José Antonio “el viejo” Solana out of a total of 32 registered vehicles, resulting in the victory being an Oldsmobile ’88 driven by the American Hershel McGriff. That time there was a minimal participation of European brands in La Carrera mainly due to the participation requirements.
However, there was a spectacular six-cylinder Alfa Romeo 2500 driven by the internationally known Italian Piero Taruffi, who finished in fourth place in the overall category.
The First Pan-American Race was won by McGriff, with a total time of 27h 34′ 25″.
1951
The Carrera Panamericana attracts the best European drivers
The 1951 Carrera Panamericana generated great expectations around the world, so it was decided to change the date of the event to November, right at the end of the North American and European racing season, in order to attract more professional competitors.
For that year, the route was done in reverse from the previous edition, mainly because the infrastructure in the north of the country was greater than in the south, favoring the work of the media.
In addition, the American competitors were closer to their borders at the end of the competition, making their return easier.
In this edition, there were fewer but higher-quality participants, as many were experienced car racers from other world series.
NASCAR and Indianapolis supported the event, which is why many professional racers from North America came, such as Chuck Stevenson, Tony Bettenhausen, Troy Ruttman, Bill Sterling, Bud Sennet, John Fitch and the winner of the previous edition Hershel McGriff.
European stars were present at La Carrera, among them were the Italians Piero Taruffi and Luigi Chinetti as co-drivers, Alberto Ascari, Juan Manuel Fangio with Luigi Villoresi as co-drivers, and Felice Bonetto and Giovanni Bracco on board two Lancias.
In 1951, the race organizers allowed automotive manufacturers to make modifications to the chassis and engines of production vehicles, as long as the camshaft remained intact.
And so Ferrari registers its first participation in the automotive competition with two 212 Export Coupes with 2.6-liter V12 engines, destined for the Taruffi/Chinetti and Ascari/Volloresi duos, who sweep the competition, achieving the first two positions, with the Sterling Chrysler, equipped with a 220 HP eight-cylinder engine, classifying in third place.
While there was plenty of cause for celebration, there were also some complaints from some competitors, alleging that the Italians had teamed up to block certain sections of the road, that they used a different type of gasoline, and that they used racing sports cars instead of the production cars used by the other competitors.
1952
The race is gaining a foothold in the world of automotive rallying.
By 1952, the third edition, La Carrera Panamericana had already become a legendary event, compared to the best rallies in the automotive world such as the Targa Florio and the Mille Miglia in Italy, and the 24 Hours of Le Mans in France.
That year, several automakers, including Lincoln, Mercedes, Alfa Romeo, Porsche, and VW, sent entire teams to compete in the event. Meanwhile, American companies pressured the organizers to create a new category, arguing that the competition would be fairer.
Thus, during this edition, the Sport category was opened for small two-seat sports cars and the Standard Tourism category for four-seat production cars, which had a production of more than 5,000 units per year and were built between 1949 and 1952. These were allowed to make modifications to shock absorbers, suspension, wheels, tires, rear seat and the gas tank.
The route was not modified for this edition, but the rest day was eliminated, so the drivers had to drive for five consecutive days, which represented an additional effort.
That year, greater importance was placed on the safety of the drivers and spectators, so Mexican army soldiers were stationed every 800 meters along the route and every 50 meters in towns and cities. They were even instructed to shoot any animal that might pose a danger to the competitors as it passed along the road.
The Millanese Guastalla team entered three Ferrari 340 Coupés for Alberto Ascari, Villoresi, and Chinetti. Italian Piero Taruffi competed with an Oldsmobile '88, as did Herschel McGriff, the winner of the first edition.
The team that caused the greatest sensation was Mercedes-Benz with three 300SLs, two gull-wing Coupés and a Spyder. Karl Kling and Herman Lang drove the Coupés, and the Spyder was driven by aviator John Fitch, who had shot down several German aircraft in World War II a few years earlier.
The Germans took their participation in La Carrera Panamericana very seriously and arrived in Tuxtla Gutiérrez with a team of 23 people and 13 vehicles.
They completed more than 2,000 miles of testing on different sections of the route and at different altitudes, where they analyzed everything: the spark plugs, the carburetor, the composition of the gasoline, and the fuel consumption in the different sections.
Porsche participated with two 356 GTs with 1,500 cc engines and 70 horsepower that reached a top speed of 110 mph (177 kmph) cars belonging to Prince Alfons von Hohenlohe, who lived in Mexico and was the national importer for the VW brand.
In the Standard Touring category, the three Lincoln Capris stood out, each with a 5.2 lt. V8 engine that reached a top speed of 125 mph (201 kmph).
1953
The penultimate edition in 1953 was held with four participating categories: International Sport, International Tourism, Sport up to 1,600 cc and Special Tourism, which increased the number of participants, teams and brands. Once again, the main North American and European series champions attended, such as the Argentine Juan Manuel Fangio driving a Lancia vehicle.
During the year 1953 the FIA created the World Drivers' Championship to recognize the best driver of the season, and the World Manufacturers' Championship to recognize the best car of the season that competed in prestigious events such as the Mille Miglia (Italy), 24 Hours of Le Mans (France), 24 Hours of Spa (Belgium), Nürburgring (Germany), 12 Hours of Sebring (USA), Dundrod Tourist Trophy (Northern Ireland) and the final event of the Championships would be defined in La Carrera Panamericana (Mexico), which made this edition an event that would decide a very quoted.
This year's competition was fiercely contested between a Jaguar and a Ferrari. The final result would be on Mexican soil, raising great expectations for this year's edition.
The Organizing Committee had created new competition categories: Special Tourism for cars with a power of 75 to 115 horsepower; International Tourism for cars with a power greater than 115 horsepower; Menor Sport for cars with engines up to 1600cc or 800cc with a supercharger; and International Sport for cars with engines of more than 1600cc.
In total, 177 cars took the start in Tuxtla Gutiérrez: 74 from Argentina, 47 from Mexico, 39 from the USA, 9 from Italy, and 4 from Germany.
Lincoln returned to take the title of best production car again by entering six cars in the race. These were driven by Johnny Mantz, Chuck Stevenson, Walt Faulkner, Bill Vukovich, Jack McGrath, and Ray Crawford.
These cars attracted a lot of attention because they had cartoon characters like Woody Woodpecker and Popeye painted on their hoods.
Lincoln also developed a technique of filming segments of the route and then reviewing them with the drivers to analyze the curves and sections; this would become known as “road filming.”
An interesting fact concerns the high number of registered cars from Argentina, due to the elimination of taxes on imported cars in that country; therefore, it was much cheaper to import an American car that had participated in “La Carrera”.
Lancia won first, second and third place, setting a new record for the average speed throughout the event of 105.15 mph (169.2 kmph).
Fangio won the race without winning a single stage, a victory in La Carrera Panamericana, which was considered as important as any other major event of the time.
THE FIRST LEGACY OF RACING, INSPIRING PORSCHE
It began when Porsche entered ten cars in the Sport Minor category in the same year. The most notable entrants were 1952 winner Karl Kling and Hans Hermann driving a Porsche 550 Spyder specifically developed to win The Race and sponsored by Telefunken, which reached speeds of over 125 mph (201 kph), which became one of the brand's most iconic cars.
The German driver had crossed Mexico from south to north, covering a distance of 3,077 kilometers, crossing the finish line of the competition. Ferry Porsche's idea of building the brand's name and renowned quality through racing success now also worked across the Atlantic.
Since 1952, Porsche has participated in this challenging competition. And the inspiration from those Mexican events lives on: Ferry Porsche named all sports cars with the winning four-camshaft engines with the Spanish name ‘Carrera’. Today, the Porsche 500 Spyder can be admired in the Porsche Museum in Germany.
The Carrera Panamericana also inspired Porsche for the name of the four-door Gran Turismo Panamera, which has been produced since 2009.
1954
THE LAST RACE OF THE GOLDEN AGE IN 1954
During the fifth Carrera Panamericana of 1954, five categories competed: Sport Mayor, Sport Menor, Turismo Mayor, Turismo Especial, and Turismo Europeo, so it was possible to participate with non-standard cars since modifications to the car were allowed in certain categories. The race began, as was customary, on November 19, 1954 in Chiapas and ended on the 23rd of the same month and year in Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua.
That year, 1954, Ferrari cars stood out, with driver Maglioli winning overall with a total time of 17 hours 40 seconds. Equally notable was the participation of Mexican drivers Álvarez Tostado (4th place in the Turismo Especial category and 29th in the General Category); Ramiro Aguilar (5th place in the TE category and 35th overall).
The main changes to the regulations that year concerned the categories and the time allowed for maintenance and repairs. The European Touring Car category was also added.
Moises Solana, the youngest driver in the race at 18 years of age, was considered the breakthrough driver of the race, as in addition to it being his first foray into motorsports, and despite a loss of thirty minutes due to mechanical failures, he managed to finish 6th in the TE category and 32nd in the CG; driving a Dodge with 50,000 kilometers on the clock, he competed with memorable holds on the asphalt with the Italian Piero Taruffi and the Argentine Oscar Cabalén.
These vehicles could generate 350 horsepower and reach a top speed of 175 mph (281.6 kmph), and were also coming off a victory in the 24 Hours of Le Mans rally.
Individual entries made up the majority of the field, diminishing the number of official team entries from the car manufacturers. The main reason was that the World Constructors' Championship was already decided and no result in The Race would change it, so some teams didn't consider it necessary to come to Mexico. That year, Ferrari would win the title again, Lancia second, and Jaguar third.
149 cars were registered in this fifth edition of the event: 20 in Major Sport, 13 in Minor Sport, 29 in Open Tourism, 68 in Special Tourism, and 19 in European Tourism.
The list of competitors became increasingly international with participants from many countries, some coming with the intention of winning and others simply to experience the adventure that the Race offered.
45 teams came from Mexico, 42 from Argentina, 31 from the USA, 7 from Italy, 6 from Germany, 4 from Guatemala, 2 from the United Kingdom, 2 from Spain, 2 from the Dominican Republic, 1 from France, 1 from Colombia, 1 from Cuba and 1 from Chile.
Volkswagen also sent a team of sedans (beetles) to participate, although they were not aiming to win, they demonstrated their superiority in design, durability and reliability.
The two Ferraris that Maglioli and McAfee were going to drive were the most powerful cars that Enzo Ferrari had ever designed.
Another car that caught the attention of fans was the Spanish-designed and built Pegaso Z103 Roadster driven by Joaquín Palacio. This car was sponsored by Dominican President General Rafael Trujillo and had the name El Dominicano painted on its hood.
Coca-Cola sponsored the Mexican Team, which consisted of five white-painted Buick Century cars with the soft drink brand's logo prominently displayed. These cars were driven by five Mexican drivers: Luís Leal Solares, Fernando Razo Maciel, Ricardo Ramírez, Héctor Riva Palassio, and Julio Mariscal.
Maglioli and Hill's reputations were cemented within motorsport for many years to come. Porsche, Alfa Romeo, and Volkswagen were the real winners at the event, taking advantage of the visibility the race offered them.
The reputation of Borgward cars suffered significantly due to poor performance. Lincoln was only just saved by the eventual victory of Ray Crawford.
Through the promotion of the highway, the organization of the event began to develop a road infrastructure and educational program throughout the country, and Mexican culture was disseminated abroad. Supporting the then-government's campaign to promote exports and foreign trade and attract investment to Mexico, this was a turning point in boosting the nascent tourism industry in our country.
Thanks to this iconic competition, major brands like Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Buick, and others came to test their latest innovations, and later opened distribution channels, manufacturing facilities, and offices in our country.
MODERN STAGE
Thirty-four years had to pass before La Carrera Panamericana once again became a fundamental part of the history of motorsports in the country. In 1988, a group of enthusiastic promoters, including Eng. Pedro Dávila and Eduardo de León, managed to revive La Panamericana, calling on the different automotive groups from around the world to celebrate it.
Thus, a new cycle for La Carrera began in 1988 with the start of the 1st Carrera Panamericana, in its modern era. To this end, new regulations were created, reserving the competition for cars manufactured between 1940 and 1965, depending on the category, but allowing for the modernization of the units in terms of suspension and safety.
The legend was revived in 1988, being celebrated year after year, continuously and uninterruptedly to this day.
A THREE-DECADE IMPASSE
En 1954 se celebró la quinta y última carrera, para agosto de 1955, a tan solo cuatro meses del inicio de La Carrera, el gobierno mexicano decidió cancelar el evento, tanto para participantes, como para el público en general. Este argumento cobró mayor validez después del trágico incidente en la carrera 24 Horas de Le Mans cuando el piloto de Mercedes-Benz, Levegh, se estrelló con otro auto y ambos se estrellaron contra el muro de espectadores.
Otra versión indica que el nuevo presidente en turno de México, Adolfo Ruiz Cortines, no planeaba seguir apoyando financieramente el evento ni las reparaciones necesarias a la carretera panamericana.
Habría que esperar poco más de tres décadas para que La Carrera Panamericana retomara nuevos bríos y congregara nuevamente a los mejores pilotos del mundo para recorrer la icónica competición.
THE LEGACY OF TAG HEUER
Sin duda, otros de los legados de La Carrera Panamericana han dejado en el mundo, fue cuando en el año de 1962, el entonces CEO de TAG Heuer, el señor Jack Heuer conoció la historia de la legendaria Carrera de México.
“El primero que me habló de la carrera fue el talentoso piloto mexicano Pedro Rodríguez en las Doce Horas de Sebring, donde TAG Heuer era el Cronometrador Oficial . Él y su hermano Ricardo fueron dos de los pilotos más rápidos, inteligentes y resistentes de todos los tiempos. Al oírlos hablar de La Carrera con Juan-Manuel Fangio, viejo amigo de la marca que ganó la competición en 1953, dejé volar mi imaginación. El nombre por sí mismo me sonaba elegante, dinámico, fácil de pronunciar en todos los idiomas y cargado de emoción. Entonces supe que mi nuevo cronógrafo era el tributo perfecto a esa leyenda: CARRERA”.
RELIVE THE LEGEND
Treinta y cuatro años tuvieron que pasar para que La Carrera Panamericana volviera ser parte fundamental de la historia del automovilismo en el país. En 1988 un grupo de entusiastas promotores entre los que destacan el Ing. Pedro Dávila y Eduardo de León, consiguen revivir La Carrera Panamericana, convocando para ello a las diferentes agrupaciones automovilísticas del mundo para su celebración.
De este modo, inicia en 1988 un nuevo ciclo para La Carrera con el arranque de la 1ª Carrera Panamericana, de su etapa moderna. Para ello, se creó un nuevo reglamento dentro del cual se reserva la competencia para automóviles fabricados entre los años de 1940 y 1965, dependiendo de la categoría, pero permitiendo la modernización de las unidades en los aspectos de suspensiones y seguridad.
En los primeros años de la prueba, la competencia arrancó en la ciudad de Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas, al sur del país. Sin embargo, en 2009 el sitio de partida fue trasladado a la ciudad costera de Huatulco, en el estado de Oaxaca. Sin embargo, para 2010 inició nuevamente la carrera en Tuxtla Gutiérrez, para volver a alternar en 2011 con el arranque en Huatulco.
Durante la edición del año 2012 la marca de salida se dio en la ciudad de Veracruz, desde donde iniciaría también la Carrera efectuada en el año de 2014. La meta ha sido cambiada igualmente de manera alternada, tenido lugar en la ciudad de Nuevo Laredo, en el estado norteño de Tamaulipas, como en la ciudad de Zacatecas y en últimos años en Durango capaital.
Desde el relanzamiento de la nueva etapa de La Carrera, la contienda automotriz ha transcurrido sobre carreteras federales, estatales y secundarias de asfalto a lo largo de siete días, con un recorrido total aproximado de 3,000 kilómetros, ruta que se modifica año con año.
En la etapa moderna, los modelos de automóviles permitidos se dividen en cuatro grupos:
●Grupo de Automóviles Panamericanos, en las siguientes categorías: Turismo de producción, Turismo mayor, Sport menor, Sport mayor y Original Panam;
● Grupo de Automóviles Históricos, en las siguientes cuatro categorías: Histórica A, A Plus, B, B Plus, C y C Plus;
● Grupo de Autos Panam Porsche Cup que son los autos modernos de la marca Porsche previa autorización del Comité Organizador;
● Grupo de automóviles de exhibición en el que entran todos los vehículos que no puedan ser agrupados en los anteriores, además de ser un grupo no puntuable y sin derecho a premiación.
A partir de entonces, La Carrera se ha convertido en el evento deportivo automotriz tipo rally de autos clásicos más importante de nuestro país, conservando su relevancia a nivel internacional conformándose por una historia que continúa sumando memorias y anécdotas que entrelazan velocidad, maquinaria y precisión. Los autos clásicos son modificados para cumplir con las normas de seguridad modernas y para seguir gozando de la experiencia única de correr los vehículos automotores en carreteras abiertas a máxima velocidad.
GREAT FIGURES
Lo más importante de La Carrera Panamericana es la hospitalidad de la gente, el espíritu que emana de ella y que año tras año la nutre. Evento consolidado cuya principal característica que tiene es la calidez del pueblo mexicano. En segundo término, está la gran competitividad que han alcanzado las tripulaciones con su gran preparación y experiencia.
A lo largo de sus ediciones, esta icónica competición ha conseguido la participación de grandes pilotos de cada época, como Juan Manuel Fangio, ex pilotos de F1 tales como Emerson Fitipaldi, Philippe Alliot, Erik Comas; estrellas del rallyismo mundial como Clay Regazzoni, Stig Blomqvist, Harri Rovampera; grandes figuras del automovilismo mexicano como Joe Ramírez, Adrián Fernández, Luis “El Chapulín” Díaz; así como figuras del espectáculo que les gusta la adrenalina del automovilismo deportivo, como Nick Mason, Adrian Paul Hewett, Patrick Dempsey.
De esta forma, lo más importante de La Carrera Panamericana es su gente, que la espera en cada llegada, los competidores y participantes, el comité organizador, los patrocinadores y las autoridades, son el espíritu que emana de ella y que año tras año la sigue. El “Espíritu de la Carrera” es sin lugar a duda el motor que nos invita a vivir una verdadera aventura mexicana.
SOCIAL WORK
Comprometidos con nuestra sociedad durante los últimos años Fundación Telmex Telcel, en conjunto con La Carrera han entregado más de 600 sillas donadas en las últimas 15 ediciones de La Carrera Panamericana realizando una ceremonia de entrega en cada arco de llegada antes de la entrada del contingente panamericano en cada ciudad meta.
75TH ANNIVERSARY
En 2025 celebramos con orgullo los 75 años de historia, pasión y velocidad de La Carrera Panamericana, el rally más importante de México y uno de los más legendarios del mundo. Nacida en 1950 como una competencia que recorría de frontera a frontera nuestro país, La Panamericana rápidamente conquistó la atención internacional, colocándose a la altura de eventos icónicos como Le Mans, Mille Miglia o Targa Florio.
A lo largo de estas siete décadas y media, la ruta ha sido un auténtico escaparate de la grandeza de México: sus paisajes, su gente, su cultura y la calidez de cada estado por el que pasa. Pero también ha sido escenario de hazañas deportivas inolvidables, donde pilotos nacionales e internacionales han puesto a prueba su resistencia, habilidad y espíritu competitivo a bordo de autos históricos, clásicos y modernos.
La Carrera Panamericana es mucho más que una competencia automovilística: es un símbolo de identidad y de unión. Cada año reúne a aficionados, familias, comunidades enteras y a un público que sigue con emoción el rugir de los motores a través de miles de kilómetros. En cada curva y en cada meta, late la tradición y se renueva el entusiasmo por mantener viva una de las páginas más brillantes del automovilismo mundial.
En este 75 aniversario, rendimos homenaje a los pioneros que hicieron posible el nacimiento de esta carrera en 1950, a los equipos que han escrito capítulos memorables en la historia del deporte motor y a los fanáticos que, generación tras generación, mantienen intacta la llama panamericana. Al mismo tiempo, miramos hacia el futuro con la firme convicción de seguir construyendo una competencia moderna, incluyente y emocionante, que conserve su esencia y continúe inspirando a nuevas audiencias dentro y fuera de México.
La edición 2025 será un año de celebración especial. Cada etapa estará marcada por la conmemoración de estos 75 años, con actividades, homenajes y experiencias que recordarán el camino recorrido y la emoción que aún nos espera. Porque La Carrera Panamericana no solo es parte de nuestra historia: es parte de nuestra identidad como nación.
Hoy, como ayer, reafirmamos nuestro compromiso con la pasión por el automovilismo, con México y con todos los que viven y sienten el Espíritu Panamericano.
75 años de velocidad, emoción y orgullo.
¡Se parte de la leyenda!