Gutierrez reflects on 'intense' Formula E debut

©EstebanGutierrez

Former F1 driver Esteban Gutierrez says he enjoyed his first outing Formula E last weekend, describing it as a "very intense experience".

After leaving F1 behind, Gutierrez, who raced in 59 Grand Prix for Sauber and Haas, found refuge in the all-electric series with the Techeetah outfit which also fields former Toro Rosso charger Jean-Eric Vergne.

The Mexican jumped on the electric bandwagon for the series fourth round held in his country, in Mexico City.

With hardly any knowledge of his car, Gutierrez qualified 13th before penalties moved him up the grid. A chaotic race among his rivals further up the road put the Mexican in the points at the end of the day.

"I would say it was a very intense experience but one which had a good outcome, with a top-10 finish," Gutierrez told Autosport.

"Basically when I started the race I was still learning the car so it was a really challenging experience.

"With the first car there was a problem and a feeling that something that was not correct. This was why we lost some positions and it was not too great, but the other car I was able to recover a lot."

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Compared to Ma Qing Hua, the man Gutierrez replaced at Techeetah, the Mexican's realtive performance appears solid but with a comfortable margin of progress.

"He is still getting used to the brakes but his energy management was good and his consumption targets were fine," said Techeetah boss Mark Preston.

"Now we just need to get him used to the car and the intricacies of this type of racing, which is totally new to him of course, but it was an accomplished start."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.