Cristina Gutiérrez nearly quit rally racing when her main sponsor left. Only grit and a strong support network kept Spain’s Dakar trailblazer in the game. Her story lays bare the tough side of motorsport.
Cristina Gutiérrez hit a wall when her main sponsor dropped out. She did not sugarcoat it. Without people backing her, her racing days could have ended right there. Gutiérrez, the first Spanish woman to finish the Rally Dakar in 2017, suddenly found herself scrambling. Dacia pulled its support this season. That left her with no guarantees. Spanish motorsport outlets reported she had to rebuild her budget from zero and hunt for new partners fast.
Motorsport is ruthless. Every year, drivers like Gutiérrez start from scratch. Nothing is promised. "Dacia se bajó y tuvimos que volver a empezar. Lloré mucho pero hay que seguir luchando," she said. The tears were real. So was the pressure. In this sport, money matters as much as skill. Industry sources confirm Gutiérrez has spoken out about how shaky a rally-raid career can be. She depends on outside help to keep going.
For the 2026 season, Gutiérrez joined Santana Motors, marking the start of a new phase with a more compact team structure and a car based on the Century platform.
Things turned when Santana Motors stepped up. That gave her a lifeline. She went straight from the Rally de Marruecos, where she and co-driver Marc Solà finished thirteenth on the last day. They took ninth overall. The gap to winner Seth Quintero was just over 38 minutes. It was a fight from start to finish. Gutiérrez admitted she knew it would be tough. Motorsport media reported the 2026 Rallye du Maroc was a key test for the new Santana project. The team used it to fine-tune the car and its parts before Dakar 2027. The field was stacked with strong teams.
But numbers miss the real struggle. Gutiérrez has faced battles far from the track. She talked about sleepless nights. Early races in battered cars. Even taking out a bank loan to keep racing. "Puedes llegar por casualidad, pero el objetivo es mantenerse constante y eso es lo realmente difícil," she said. Staying in the game is the hardest part.
Multiple independent sources highlight that the 2026 Rallye du Maroc was not only Santana's first major W2RC event, but also a vital shakedown for the team and car before Dakar 2027. The ninth place finish was achieved in a tightly contested race, where even Dakar veteran Carlos Sainz struggled to secure top positions on some stages.
She is clear about one thing. Gender is not the main hurdle. "Luchamos contra mentalidades no contra géneros," Gutiérrez said. The real fight is with old attitudes, not just rivals on the course.
Her story matches what other drivers face. Sergio Pérez’s struggles, as reported earlier, show how one setback can ruin months of work.
Gutiérrez started racing karts at nine. She saw no other girls on the grid. At first, she hesitated. Then she found a role model in María de Villota. "Si ella puede hacerlo, yo también." That mindset pushed her through every setback. Now, she faces new doubts about the next Dakar in Saudi Arabia. Organizers are working on backup plans because of regional tensions.
Gutiérrez talks openly about mental health and needing support. That is rare in a sport where drivers are expected to be tough. She does not hide her struggles. She refuses to quit. That honesty sets a new bar for Spanish motorsport. The truth is simple. Talent is not enough. Without money and people who believe in you, even the toughest drivers can be forced out. Gutiérrez is still here. That is a win. But her story is a sharp warning about how fragile a racing career can be in Spain right now.
