Guerrero began competing in Formula One in 1982 for Ensign Racing, beginning the season in a No. 14 Café de Colombia/Moda Caribu Ensign N180B-Ford Cosworth DFV at the season-opening South African Grand Prix. He failed to qualify for the event due to Guerrero's Formula Two team Maurer Motorsport and its boss Willy Maurer filing an injunction to Ensign team boss Morris Nunn and as a result Guerrero was withdrawn from the race. An official press report from Nunn stated that Guerrero was "in an inappropriate physical and mental condition to drive." Guerrero returned for the following race, the Brazilian Grand Prix, in a new Ensign N181. He again failed to qualify for the race. Guerrero qualified for the third race of the season, the United States Grand Prix West, starting 19th and finished 15th after crashing 27 laps into the race. Ensign skipped the San Marino Grand Prix due to the FISA–FOCA war and Guerrero then failed to qualify for the Belgian Grand Prix. At the Monaco Grand Prix Ensign's tire supplier Avon withdrew from Formula One and that left the team tireless. The team got some older tires to use for the race, but Guerrero failed to qualify. Michelin started supplying tires to the team after Monaco and Guerrero qualified for Michelin's first race for the team, the Detroit Grand Prix, starting in a respectable 11th place. In the race Guerrero was involved in a crash 6 laps into the race and was credited with a 19th-place finish. After that, Guerrero then only failed to qualify at the Dutch Grand Prix and the French Grand Prix. Guerrero scored his best finish of 1982 (and his entire Formula One career) at the German Grand Prix with an 8th-place finish. At the season-ending Caesars Palace Grand Prix Guerrero qualified in 15th place. The car's engine then blew in the warm up and Guerrero missed the race. Guerrero was unranked in the championship standings due to the fact that he had scored no points.