1997 CART World Series - Hollywood PacWest Team - 17 races, 1 win, 3 poles, two 2nd place finishes, finished 4th in the PPG Cup Championship (132 points). 1997 was his most successful season so far. He finished 4th in the championship (132 points), achieved his first win in the series and had three poles throughout the year. He earned 12 top-five starts, and earned 10 top-six finishes. He also had the most competitive car, Reynard/Mercedes/Firestone. Mauricio Gugelmin holds the world speed record in a closed course. His pole position qualifying lap at the 1997 Fontana 500, at California Speedway, had an average speed of 240.942 mph, the fastest official lap, both in CART and in all motor racing series. He also holds the unofficial outright fastest lap ever recorded in a closed course, 242.333 mph, established at the Saturday practice session, also at Fontana, and for that is recognised as "The Fastest Man In The World".
1996 CART World Series - Hollywood PacWest Team - 16 races, 2nd and 3rd place finishes, finished 14th in the PPG Cup Championship (53 points). In 96, his best success came at Michigan, where he scored his two podium finishes of the season. He also finished 4th at Australia, 5th at Laguna Seca and was third on the grid at Laguna too.
1995 Joined PacWest Racing and turned in an outstanding season full of personal bests. Earned the first two podium finishes of his career with a runnerup performance at Miami and a third-place effort at Laguna Seca to finish 10th in the PPG Cup championship. Had seven top-seven finishes in all, including a sixth at the Indy 500 where he led a race-high 59 laps. Also established a career best when he started on the outside pole at Miami.
1994 For his second complete season, Gugelmin joined the PacWest Racing Team, a relatively young team, founded in 1993. During the first half of the season, he fought for the first places (2nd at Miami, 3rd at Laguna Seca and seven top-seven finishes). In Indianapolis, he was best in the grid (second row), out of all the Brazilian drivers. After leading most of the laps (59), he finished 6th.
1993 Made an abbreviated CART rookie season debut as he started the final three races of the year for Dick Simon Racing. Made his first start at Mid-Ohio, where he finished 21st.
1992 Moved to the Jordan/Yamaha Team for his fifth and final Formula One season. Started 16 races, but engine unreliability led to no point-scoring finishes.
1991 Competed in his fourth Formula One season with the Leyton House-Ilmor Team - started 15 events and had a top season finish of seventh.
1990 Competed for the Leyton House-Judd team in his third Formula One season. Finished 18th in the championship and had a season-best finish of sixth in Belgium.
1989 Returned to March-Judd for his second Formula One season and finished 16th in the Championship. The season was highlighted by his only career F1 podium finish, a third place performance in front of a home crowd in Brazil. He had the fastest lap in the French Grand Prix.
1988 Graduated to the Formula One ranks as the driver for the Leyton House March-Judd team. Started 16 races and finished 13th in the championship race. Top efforts were a fourth-place finish in the British Grand Prix and a fifth at the Hungary event.
1987 Returned to Formula 3000 for his second and final season and finished fourth in the championship.
1986 Competed in the Formula 3000 championship. Top finish was second at Vallelunga.
1985 Accumulated his fifth and sixth different championships in his last six seasons of racing, winning the British Formula 3 crown and the Macau F3 World Cup title.
1984 Won the European Formula Ford 2000 title for his fourth different championship in his last five seasons of racing competition.
1983 Finished runnerup in the British Formula Ford 2000 championship.
1982 Turned in a dominant first-year performance in the British Formula Ford 1600 series that resulted in the championship.
1981 Made the move to the Brazilian Formula Fiat Series and won the championship.
1980 Brazilian National Series Champion.
1971 Began racing go karts at the age of 8 - Local Champion in 1971/72/73/74/75/76/77/78/79.
