Cristina Gutiérrez on her Extreme E journey and how the series is championing gender equality

In this exclusive interview, the NEOM McLaren Extreme E Team driver and Season 2 champion as part of Sir Lewis Hamilton's X44 Vida Carbon Racing squad outlines her motorsport journey so far, the responsibility of being part of a sustainable racing series and the importance of the championship’s gender-equal format.

Extreme E: What role has the championship played in your racing career to date?
Cristina Gutiérrez: From the very beginning I knew it was a big opportunity. I dreamt of being a driver in Extreme E because I understood the importance of the championship and I knew there were many other aspects to it, including gender equality. 

The knowledge of the girls started on a lower level. In the beginning, you could see a lot of difference between the men and women in seconds, but now it is getting closer and closer, and there are times where we are even faster. As you can see now, it is more mixed and there is more equality in the competition, and this is good to see.

XE: The championship’s gender-equal format has undoubtedly provided a greater platform for female drivers. How much of a benefit has this been for you in terms of racing experience and other motorsport opportunities?
CG: As a woman in motorsport, Extreme E has given us confidence and it has provided so many opportunities since I started competing in the series. When we have confidence we can fight for another goal and another dream. After being a part of Extreme E, I have driven much more in lots of different conditions. I have learned a lot and I have added that to my driving style. I think I have grown a lot since the beginning, so I think Extreme E has been great for women.

I have been part of some of the best teams and best drivers in the world as a result of being in this championship, and this has given me a lot of confidence. I have won in Extreme E and the Dakar Rally in my category – a lot of good things have happened since being involved in this series. Extreme E has been working very hard from the beginning to give opportunities to different women. We have had so many young women in the championship. For example, Lia Block started in Extreme E and now she is in the F1 Academy with Williams Racing.

XE: The latest Sustainability Report with EY has shown that the performance gap between male and female drivers has continued to close, with you recognised as the fastest female driver on average through the Continental Traction Challenges in 2023. Does this demonstrate that equal track time and opportunity is paying dividends?
CG: This is the purpose of Extreme E, to show people that men and women in motorsport can drive together and there are not a lot of sports where you see men and women competing at the same time and at the same level, with the same purpose. I think Extreme E in this area makes a difference compared with other competitions. 

In the last race, I was fighting Mikaela [Åhlin-Kottulinsky, Rosberg X Racing] for the win, and seeing these battles between two women, and for us having the opportunity to get the win for our team, I think that’s very important for the audience watching.

XE: Who was your reference point in motorsport when you were growing up?
CG: It was difficult. When I started to drive, I did not have many role models because there were not a lot of girls competing in motor racing. I think to have a role model is very important to the people who want to become, in my case, a rally driver, because you can really see that it is possible to achieve. You can see that a woman can compete as a professional driver – I am doing this, I can do it, and you can do it!

I didn’t know that it was very important to me until I saw another woman competing. María de Villota became the first woman to drive a Formula One car for a long time, and for me this moment was very special because I discovered that there was a woman out there doing the thing that I wanted to do one day. I learnt a lot from watching her. She had a lot of values, she was smiling and positive, she spoke well with the media, kids watching on – pretty much everyone. It was an inspiration for me.

XE: Do you see yourself as someone to look up to for racing stars of the future?
CG: I think, especially for the women competing in Extreme E, there is a responsibility to be involved and help others looking to compete in motorsport. We are in a position where we can speak, we can talk about the lives we lived in the past, the mistakes we made, and how we can improve. These types of things are our responsibility to make it easy for someone to become a racing driver in the future, for example. 

XE: The championship raises awareness of the climate issues affecting our planet. Do you also believe it is a responsibility as drivers to highlight the environmental problems in the locations the Extreme E races in?
CG: It’s very nice that we can share many things like the competition and the adrenaline on track, but also focus on sustainability off it, through taking care of nature and trying to understand the problems around the world. At each event we learn more about the environmental problems. I think it’s a big opportunity for us to discover these issues and try to educate people about them through social media, our communities, and explain to people the problems that we have found affecting our planet.

XE: What are you excited about for the season ahead?
CG: I am very excited to be a part of NEOM McLaren Extreme E. For me, it is a dream come true to be a part of this historic team and one of the biggest in motorsport. The first time that I arrived at the MTC was a super exciting moment that I will never forget, and I shared that moment with Mattias Ekström as my teammate. Everyone was excited to have us in the team, and I think the purpose of the team is very important. They can show the environmental side, the equality side, and, they want to win, so for me it’s the three big things and we are fighting for the same goals. 

The team feels like a family, and this makes us more comfortable, and you feel free to say anything and I can see us growing together. If we can win together, it will be special. The last race was our first together and it was nice to get on the a podium. It was a good way to start and I can feel the team very together like a family. This is so impressive and good for us as drivers.