Esteban Gutiérrez
A tenacious Mexican driver who raced from karting prodigy to Formula One, later carving a successful path in business and endurance racing.
Born 1991 (age 35)·Mexican racing driver·Birthday: August 5·Millennials
Biography
Esteban Gutiérrez's path was mapped early, becoming the youngest ever champion in the Mexican National Karting Championship at age 15. His European single-seater career was a display of raw speed, culminating in the GP3 Series title in 2010. That victory became his ticket to Formula One, first as a test driver for Sauber and then as a race driver for the same team. His three seasons on the grid were tough, often in uncompetitive cars, yielding a single points finish. Pragmatic and forward-looking, he transitioned smoothly from driver to entrepreneur, founding a chain of driver training centers. He found renewed racing joy in Formula E and as a Ferrari factory driver in the World Endurance Championship, proving his talent extended far beyond his F1 results.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Esteban was born in 1991, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Esteban Was Born
The biggest hits of 1991
#1 Movie
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Best Picture
The Silence of the Lambs
#1 TV Show
Cheers
Esteban's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1991Born
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1996Started school
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2004Became a teenager
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2007Could drive
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2009Could vote
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2012Turned 21
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2021Turned 30
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
2026Age 35 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the 2010 GP3 Series championship, dominating with five race victories.
- Became the first Mexican driver to score a Formula One point in over 20 years when he finished 7th at the 2013 Japanese Grand Prix.
- Founded the company 'Esteban Gutiérrez Academy', a chain of high-performance driving and karting schools in Mexico.
- Competed as a Ferrari factory driver in the FIA World Endurance Championship, including at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Did You Know?
He was a development driver for the Scuderia Ferrari Formula One team in 2018.
Gutiérrez is an accomplished pianist.
He was teammates with three-time F1 world champion Max Verstappen in the 2015 Toro Rosso young driver test.
He holds a degree in Business and Financial Management from Universidad Europea de Madrid.
““In racing, you have to be very cold in your head and very hot in your heart.””
