Cristina Gutiérrez
Off Road racing // Burgos, Spain
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Cristina Gutiérrez, Spanish rally champion, made history as first Spanish woman to win Dakar Rally stage. Balances racing career with dentistry practice.
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Being a woman in motorsport is a challenge, but every obstacle is an opportunity to show that talent has no gender.
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FULL BIO: Cristina Gutiérrez
Cristina Gutiérrez is a groundbreaking Spanish rally driver who made history as the first Spanish woman to win a Dakar Rally stage and has become a champion in the FIA World Rally-Raid Championship.
EARLY YEARS
Born on March 19, 1995, in Burgos, Spain, Cristina grew up immersed in motorsports culture. Her father Carlos and uncle José were both rally drivers, turning their family garage into a hub of mechanical expertise and racing stories. She began her racing journey at just 4 years old when her father built her a makeshift kart for their rural property. By age 7, she was competing in regional karting championships, often as the only girl on the track, displaying natural reflexes and fearlessness.
EARLY SUCCESS
Gutiérrez’s family instilled a “no limits” mentality that shaped her approach to racing. “They never treated me differently for being a girl,” she revealed in a 2021 Red Bull interview. Her childhood balanced academics with hands-on mechanics lessons, building the resilience that would define her racing career. This foundation led to her first major victory in 2013, when she conquered the Spanish Cross-Country Rally Championship in the T1 category.
NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS
- 2013: Won the Spanish Cross-Country Rally Championship in the T1 category[1].
- 2017: Completed the Dakar Rally, finishing 1st in the T1.3 class and 12th overall, becoming the second woman to finish in the car category[2].
- 2018: Secured the Spanish Cross-Country Rally Championship Overall title[3].
- 2021: Became the first Spanish woman to win a Dakar Rally stage (Stage 7) and finished 17th overall in the car category[4].
- 2023: Claimed the FIA World Rally-Raid Championship (T3 category) title with Red Bull Off-Road Junior Team[5].
- 2024: Finished 7th overall in the Dakar Rally’s Challenger category alongside co-driver Pablo Moreno[6].
REPUTATION
Cristina has built an impressive reputation in off-road rally racing, particularly in the demanding Dakar Rally where she has made history multiple times. Her competitive prowess shone when she became the first female winner of a Dakar stage since 2005. Adding to her unique standing in motorsport, she maintains a parallel career as a dentist, demonstrating exceptional dedication and work ethic. Her ability to excel in both professional paths while competing at the highest level of rally racing has earned widespread respect and helped break down gender barriers in the sport.
FUTURE GOALS/PLANS
Looking beyond 2024, Gutiérrez aspires to become the first woman to win the Dakar Rally’s overall category, which she views as essential for “breaking stereotypes” in motorsport. She also plans to expand her involvement in developing electric vehicle technologies, aligning with global sustainability trends in racing. Her focus on electric racing and eco-conscious technologies positions her as a potential pioneer in the sport’s evolving future.
References:
Spanish motorsport archives
Red Bull interview (2021)
Spanish motorsport archives
ASO
FIA
ASO
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