Williams has welcomed a new member to the team this year, joining from the world of Formula E. Cristina Mañas has taken on the role of performance engineer for Carlos Sainz, bringing a wealth of experience from electric racing series.
Formula E: from Jaguar to Nissan
Cristina’s career began with QEV Technologies, a Spanish company specializing in electric mobility and engineering. She was quickly noticed by Joseph Roca, who at the time was the race engineer for Mitch Evans at Jaguar in Formula E, and he brought her into the performance department. Her work was so highly regarded that she had the honor of collecting the trophy on the podium after the 2022 Seoul E-Prix.
After her time at Jaguar, Mañas joined Nissan as head of development and simulations. Her contributions were crucial to Oliver Rowland’s championship-winning season, demonstrating her ability to deliver top-level results in high-pressure environments.
However, when this year’s Formula E season concluded at the end of July, Cristina decided to step away from electric racing to pursue her dream of working in Formula 1. This move is expected to pay off in the coming year, especially with the upcoming regulation changes that will make Formula 1 cars increasingly electric-focused.
This new addition appears to be joining Williams at the perfect time, aligning with the “life project” recently mentioned by Carlos Sainz, and signaling a promising future for both the driver and the team.
Leave a Reply