Positive Thinking is a Choice: Interview with Former F1 Driver Esteban Gutiérrez

I recently went one on one with former F1 driver Esteban Gutiérrez. A Business & Brand Ambassador for the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team, Esteban transitioned from racing professionally in F1 to follow his passion for business in 2016. In 2019, Esteban founded EDASI and became the first official distributor of F1 merchandise in Latin America.

Adam: Thanks again for taking the time to share your advice. First things first, though, I am sure readers would love to learn more about you. How did you get here? What experiences, failures, setbacks, or challenges have been most instrumental to your growth? 

Esteban: Thank you for taking the time to speak with me! I have been very fortunate with my experiences that have brought me to the F1 world in both racing and business.

Racing and the motorsports world have been an important part of my life since childhood. One of my favorite memories is of my dad and I watching races together and cheering on our favorite Mexican drivers! I knew from a young age that I wanted to be a part of this world and make a lasting impact, so I set a goal to become a racing driver. This required immense commitment, hard work, and dedication to the sport from the age of 14, when I started my racing career. 

There were many sacrifices necessary to pursue this dream, leaving home at such an early age being one of them. I was only 15 years old when I left Mexico for Europe. With such a high pace professional career, isolation has been the most challenging obstacle to navigate. As much as I would like to spend more time with my family, I have had to miss a lot of quality time due to my workload.

I enjoyed a great stint as an F1 driver. Today I'm focused on my role as a Business & Brand Ambassador for the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team. I also play an active role in the revolution that F1 is undergoing by bringing motorsports fans closer to the sport through my brand, EDASI. We fill a huge gap in the market as the only official distributor of F1 merchandise in Latin America. We are also the newest addition to the market in the U.S.!

Adam: What is the most surprising thing about life as an F1 driver? What is something that would shock fans? 

Esteban: F1 is a very political sport. So much effort goes into navigating the complex relationships between your team, sponsors, and fellow competitors. You are constantly pushing boundaries and facing pressure to maximize every opportunity. There's also a lot of career management that occurs behind the scenes that plays a fundamental role in one's overall success in the sport.

The mental component of racing is challenging. Racing in F1 is not just physically demanding, but also mentally, which means that most of your energy is spent preparing your mind and body for high intensity. The training and methods used to achieve your goals shift throughout the year; however, preparing yourself mentally consistently remains one of the greatest challenges. You're forced to learn how to adapt quickly and efficiently to different time zones and deal with the pressure of competing in extremely high-stakes situations.

Adam: What are the best lessons you have learned through your career as a race car driver that are applicable to those of us who will never earn a living on the racetrack? 

Esteban: There are many lessons learned from the track that people can translate to their own lives, as these are the same lessons that have helped build success in my business career. One of the biggest pieces of advice I can share is to put yourself in uncomfortable situations. We often try to avoid this; however, you will find newfound passion and beauty when exposing yourself to new challenges, no matter how scary. This is how we grow– our careers, our friendships, our personal strengths. Once you are out of your comfort zone, you will truly find yourself. As long as you have the proper support, you can and will evolve. 

Another important lesson I have learned on the track, and especially in business, is the importance of finding a balance between your personal and professional worlds. Recently, I have been trying to have more of a social life because sometimes it becomes too easy to isolate yourself while focusing on your career. I love my profession, but it is also important to nurture my relationships.

Adam: What sparked your passion for entrepreneurship? What are the best lessons you've learned as an entrepreneur? 

Esteban: I have always had a passion for business, but when I left racing, I got the final push of encouragement to follow my dream. While working alongside Mercedes as their simulator reserve and development driver for Formula One and Formula E, I also assisted with their management, commercial, and marketing departments where I focused on strengthening commercial relationships in the Latin American market. This ultimately led to the launch of EDASI, where I help racing fans across Latin America and the United States bond over shared passions.

‘Edasi’ means "forward" in Estonian, and I believe this is a great mantra for other entrepreneurs to adapt into their everyday vocabulary. This word bears great meaning because it encapsulates our ability to leave the past behind. I created EDASI to bring the motorsports world closer to fans by offering the best official team merchandise possible, while also keeping the customer experience at the forefront of our efforts, not only through products but hosting events for fans as well. 

Adam: What do you believe are the defining qualities of an effective leader? 

Esteban: There are many essential defining qualities that make an effective leader, such as empathy, drive, self-awareness, and decisiveness. Though one pertinent step that I believe has helped lead me to where I am today is that I never compare myself to other people. It is so important to always pursue and enjoy your path and journey. Once you are comfortable with yourself, success will coincide. 

Adam: How can leaders and aspiring leaders take their leadership skills to the next level? 

Esteban: Continue to learn. We are all lifelong learners, and those who understand that will be able to transcend their leadership skills and knowledge to the next level. Use all resources available to you– colleagues, friends, family, podcasts, books, seminars, etc. We have so much knowledge at our fingertips, so take advantage of it with an eager, thirsty, and open mind!

Adam: What are your three best tips applicable to entrepreneurs, executives, and civic leaders? 

Esteban: Create a hospitable work environment. When put into a leadership position, it is imperative to create an encouraging work culture that is positive and driven. A fully connected and supportive team will lead to larger goals, greater innovation, and, ultimately, ever-evolving success. It starts from the top! This is a value I have instilled in my team at EDASI. It is inspiring to watch the relationships within the workplace grow in such a promising direction. 

Pour passion into every decision you make. You have to love what you do, and that passion has to be so strong that people can see it oozing from you every time you speak. As Aristotle once said, "Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work."

Honesty and accountability are key. As an entrepreneur, complete transparency is imperative– not just with stakeholders, investors, etc., but also with yourself. Honesty is truly the foundation of success. 

Adam: What is the single best piece of advice you have ever received? 

Esteban: To always make your decisions based on your own knowledge, but most importantly, by your intuition– even if certain decisions will be wrong because that’s how you learn the most.

Adam: How can anyone develop a winning mindset? 

Esteban: A winning mindset is a positive and honest mindset. Positive thinking is a choice, and with choices come habits. By applying positive thinking to your daily routine within the workplace, you are enhancing not only your attitude but your employees' as well. A stronger work ethic and more genuine relationships will then follow.


Adam Mendler is the CEO of The Veloz Group, where he co-founded and oversees ventures across a wide variety of industries. Adam is also the creator and host of the business and leadership podcast Thirty Minute Mentors, where he goes one on one with America's most successful people - Fortune 500 CEOs, founders of household name companies, Hall of Fame and Olympic gold medal winning athletes, political and military leaders - for intimate half-hour conversations each week. Adam has written extensively on leadership, management, entrepreneurship, marketing and sales, having authored over 70 articles published in major media outlets including Forbes, Inc. and HuffPost, and has conducted more than 500 one on one interviews with America’s top leaders through his collective media projects. A top leadership speaker, Adam draws upon his insights building and leading businesses and interviewing hundreds of America's top leaders as a top keynote speaker to businesses, universities and non-profit organizations.

Follow Adam on Instagram and Twitter at @adammendler and listen and subscribe to Thirty Minute Mentors on your favorite podcasting app.