Esteban Gutierrez gives up on F1, switches to Formula E

F1 Update: Esteban Gutierrez will make his FIA Formula E Championship debut this season after his hopes of staying on the F1 grid fade.

Esteban Gutierrez will switch from Formula 1 to Formula E this season after he was confirmed to be competing in a ‘select number of races’ later in the year.

The Mexican racer has been seeking a drive since being dropped by the Haas F1 Team at the end of the 2016 season, with the recent closure of Manor Racing seemingly scuppering his final opportunity to remain on the F1 grid.

As a result, Gutierrez will take to the all-electric Formula E series this season with an as-yet-unconfirmed team.

Revealed during a ceremony in Mexico City attended by Mayor Miguel Angel Mancera Espinosa and FE head Alejandro Agag, it has not been confirmed which ‘select races’ Gutierrez will participate in, save for his home Mexico City ePrix in April, round four of the season.

Gutierrez’s signing will be seen as a welcome boost for the image of Formula E, which has sought to lure high profile drivers from Formula 1 to complement an already impressive grid that includes the likes of Sebastien Buemi, Lucas di Grassi, Jean-Eric Vergne and Nick Heidfeld

Round 3 of the 2016-17 season takes place in Buenos Aires on 18th February 2017.

Category: Formula One