Ex-F1 driver Gutierrez joins Inter Europol for 2022 WEC campaign
Ex-Formula 1 driver Esteban Gutierrez will move into sportscar racing in 2022 for an attack on the World Endurance Championship with the Polish Inter Europol squad.
Gutierrez, who raced for Sauber in 2013-14 and Haas in 2016, will drive Inter Europol's LMP2 Oreca 07-Gibson alongside team regulars Alex Brundle and Kuba Smiechowski in the six-round WEC.
The Mexican is returning to active competition for the first time since 2017 after four seasons focussing on his roles with Mercedes, which straddled F1 and Formula E.
He is replacing Renger van de Zande, who was teamed with Brundle and Smiechowski in the last year's WEC.
Gutierrez, 30, said: "It is an honour for me to return to racing in this competitive and prestigious series.
"Endurance racing is a new challenge for me, [so] I will focus on learning as much as possible and as soon as possible.
"A thank you to the team for the opportunity to have me race together with Kuba Smiechowski and Alex Brundle: with the team's progress and our combined ambition, I am confident we will make an excellent team."
#34 Inter Europol Competition Oreca 07 - Gibson LMP2: Jakub Smiechowski, Renger Van der Zande, Alex Brundle
Photo by: Inter Europol Competition
Team manager Sascha Fassbender added: "With Esteban in the team, we have a strong line-up to achieve our ambitions. I look forward to working together to accomplish great things this season."
Brundle, who signed a new two-year deal with Euro Interpol at the end of last year, described the recruitment of Gutierrez as a "testament to the strength of the team".
Gutierrez had been due to enter the P2 prototype ranks for the 2018/19 WEC superseason with the DragonSpeed squad.
He was announced as a driver for the American entrant's P2 ORECA, but made a late decision to step down ahead of his recruitment by Mercedes.
Gutierrez was initially involved in its simulator programmes before becoming its official reserve for Mercedes.
He was named as a brand ambassador for the German manufacturer at the beginning of last year after the expiry of his superlicence.
A reserve and development role with its FE operation was added to his duties at the end of 2019.
The 30-year-old tested an Oreca P2 for Prema Powerteam at the end of last year as he began to re-explore options in sportscars.
Related video
WRT reveals first drivers for expanded 2022 WEC LMP2 programme
The 2022 WEC season entry list in full
Maserati MSG not yet "consistently fast" with Gen3 FE car – Mortara
Edoardo Mortara says the Maserati MSG outfit still has to understand how to be "consistently fast" with the Gen3 Formula E car following a difficult Mexico City E-Prix.
Ford: F1’s boom means it "requires consideration"
Ford’s motorsport boss says it would be remiss of the American car giant not to be considering a Formula 1 return amid the sport’s rapid growth in the United States.
Diriyah E-Prix: Ticktum tops Friday practice from Buemi
Dan Ticktum topped the second Diriyah E-Prix free practice session with a 1m10.099s, seeing off a late challenge from 2015-16 Formula E champion Sebastien Buemi.
Why Vasseur relishes 'feeling the pressure' as Ferrari's F1 boss
OPINION: Fred Vasseur has spent only a few weeks as team principal for the Ferrari Formula 1 team, but is already intent on taking the Scuderia back to the very top. And despite it being arguably the most demanding job in motorsport, the Frenchman is relishing the challenge
Why the WEC should make space for modern garagistes in 2023
OPINION: There is plenty of excitement over the glut of manufacturers tackling the Hypercar class of the FIA World Endurance Championship this season. The selection committee is set to face headaches over who it decides to admit and who gets turned away from the 2023 entry list, but history tells us that the smaller entrants have a place
Motorsport.com writers' most memorable moments of 2022
The season just gone was a memorable one for many of our staff writers, who are fortunate enough to cover motorsport around the world. Here are our picks of the best (and in some cases, most eventful) from 2022.
Is Qatar the price motorsport fans have to pay?
OPINION: Fresh from hosting a controversial 2022 football World Cup, Qatar has added its name to the 2024 World Endurance Championship calendar. Although questions may be asked about its presence on the calendar, is it simply the price to pay for having a healthy racing championship?
How Toyota defeated Alpine for the 2022 WEC title
Toyota #8 trio Brendon Hartley, Sebastien Buemi and Ryo Hirakawa outscored their rivals in the last season before the World Endurance Championship’s top class gets ultra-competitive. Here's how their Hypercar battle with Alpine and the remaining class tussles played out in LMP2, GTE Pro and GTE Am
The long road to convergence for sportscar racing's new golden age
The organisers of the World Endurance Championship and IMSA SportsCar Championship worked together to devise the popular new LMDh rule set. But to turn it from an idea into reality, some serious compromises were involved - both from the prospective LMDh entrants and those with existing Le Mans Hypercar projects...
How Porsche's Le Mans legend changed the game
The 956 set the bar at the dawn of Group C 40 years ago, and that mark only rose higher through the 1980s, both in the world championship and in the US. It and its successor, the longer-wheelbase 962, are arguably the greatest sportscars of all time.
Why BMW shouldn't be overlooked on its return to prototypes
OPINION: While the focus has been on the exciting prospect of Ferrari vs Porsche at the Le Mans 24 Hours next year, BMW’s factory return to endurance racing should not be ignored. It won't be at the French classic next year as it focuses efforts on the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, but could be a dark horse in 2024 when it returns to La Sarthe with the crack WRT squad.
The history lessons Peugeot should have learned on its return
The Peugeot 9X8 will make its FIA World Endurance Championship debut at Monza this weekend. The French manufacturer has gone radical and will be hoping it doesn’t need to overhaul its contender, as it did with its first Le Mans challenger…
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.