Esteban Gutierrez

Jerez de la Frontera, Spain – After several months of intense preparation, the time has come for driver Esteban Manuel Gutierrez Gutierrez, who, with 18 years and 118 days old, will make history by being the youngest Mexican to have tested a Formula One car.

This unique opportunity for the first Monterrey born driver to test in F1, will take place at the track of Jerez de la Frontera, Spain, on December 1-3, with the BMW Sauber Team. Esteban will drive the 2009 car on Wednesday, December 2nd.

For Esteban, this meeting with the Formula One is the result of his success in the Formula BMW USA in 2007, where he was runner-up and rookie of the year, as well as in the Formula BMW Europe, where he was series champion in 2008.

The BMW team noticed not only his talent, but also his commitment and full time dedication to the sport, and for that he was invited to the test.

As a part of his intense preparation for this challenge, Esteban trained at the wheel of a GP2 car in early October with French team ART Grand Prix and later on, in November, with British team Arden International Motorsport.

The Mexican driver also finished this week his physical training with Italian trainer Gianlorenzo Santoro, at his clinic based in Cuneo, Italy.

Esteban is ready to give his best in this important test from which new opportunities may arise to continue putting on a high place the name of Mexico as well as that of the entire latin-american community.

“It is going to be a very special day after all the effort we have put for this test. BMW Sauber made a huge effort to give us this opportunity, even after having announced their retirement from F1. It definitely is going to be a big step; we are taking this opportunity as an experience to get a new perspective and learn from the professionalism and experience of an F1 team,” said Esteban.

“This will help us in our preparation for the future. I thank God for giving me the chance to live this moments that will make me a better person, and I also thank my family, my girlfriend, my friends and my fans for all the support they have given me. All this makes me feel very motivated and filled with passion to move forward and put the name of Mexico on a high place,” he remarked.