In Conversation with Maria Luis Gameiro

Maria Luis Gameiro is a Portuguese Rally Cross Country Driver, business woman and self identified travel lover.

She was the Vice Champion in the Auto T1 Ultimate Category last year and so far in 2024, Maria and her team have been building that momentum gained from this even further, exceeding their own expectations for what they thought was possible this season. It’s safe to say that over the next few years, Gameiro and her team will be ones to watch.

We caught up recently to discuss all of this, as well as how she got into motorsport in the first place, what has been the most difficult moment of her career so far – and how she overcame it – how her car came to have such a distinctive livery, where she’d love to travel to one day and much more.

Photo Credits: Maria Luis Gameiro

I hope you enjoy our conversation.

What first got you interested in the world of Motorsport?

It is not difficult to imagine that from a very young age, I was attracted to motorsport. I remember the Sundays at lunchtime, watching Formula 1 on television. It was religious. However, the “fault” for me starting to race lies with my husband who, knowing about my passion, did everything he could to put me behind the wheel of an off-road car…

Why did you want to become a Rally Cross Country Driver?

The explanation is related to the previous answer. I like to drive fast; I like to test my limits and from an early age I realized that this was a challenge that I wanted to overcome. I feel the same way today as I did when I first sat in a racing car. The adrenaline, the enthusiasm. I love everything about this sport, and I always want to do more and better!

Photo Credits: Maria Luis Gameiro

Last year was a very successful year for you, tell us why and how it all played out from your perspective.

I think things happen when they have to. It’s a lot of fun to race cars, but doing it well requires a lot of work. Much effort! The truth is that things gradually happened. I accumulated experience, and the results began to appear. Last year was a very important year because it represented a turning point. We decided to “raise the bar” for this year and, for the moment, we are very happy with the decisions we´ve made. The results prove it.

Have you got a fun racing related story that you can share?

There is a curious story that I always remember, although some details already escape me. I remember taking part in a race under very hot weather conditions. My co-driver and I – who at the time was Inês Ponte – drank all the water we had in the car, and on the assistance – which was carried out as part of the race route – the team forgot to replace the drinking water in the car. We started to continue the race, but quickly we realized that we had no water. At one point we stopped and asked for water. A spectator noticed our need and placed a huge bottle of water inside the car. From then on we had a lot of fun trying to drink water from a giant bottle, in a cabin where we could fit the two of us and not much else!

Photo Credits: Maria Luis Gameiro

What has been the most difficult moment of your career so far and how did you overcome it?

This year we had a less happy moment when I broke my hand just a few weeks before the start of the season. It was very distressing for several reasons. We set more ambitious goals, we had a new car to debut and suddenly everything had to be postponed. The truth is that I managed to recover in record time, and we only missed the opening race of the Portuguese Championship. Once again, as with everything, a lot of effort, a very demanding physiotherapy plan and a lot of desire, made everything work out for the best.

You’ve got a very distinctive livery – what made you choose this?

The decoration of our car resulted, firstly, from the color of one of our sponsors. The magenta color of our car was an option that didn’t come from me, but the truth is that it became a reference. Today everyone immediately recognizes the car. It’s almost a signature! I confess that it is something that I am very pleased with, and proves the impact that something totally different from the ordinary can have, especially in motorsport.

Photo Credits: Maria Luis Gameiro

Tell me about how 2024 is going for you so far and what your plans are for the rest of the year.

This has been a very good year! We´ve made some relevant changes: we have a new car, radically different from the one we used before; I´ve also changed co-driver, although, in this case, it was a return to someone I had already worked with in the past. What is sure is that the changes are working. We are still in a phase of getting used to it, gaining experience, getting to know the car, etc… However, the results have been very good, and I underline that we have already competed in a Raid Rally World Championship race and another in the European Cup, in which we achieved 10th place overall. I think we are exceeding our expectations.

If you could race in any rally, in any car, which combination would you choose?

The car we currently drive, the Mini JCW Plus, is, without a doubt, a dream car! For me, having the opportunity to compete in the Dakar with this car would be a source of great satisfaction. It would be a dream come true! The future will say if I can reach it.

You’re a business woman, tell me about this side of your life and how you chose this path.

Like all of us, I also have bills to pay and therefore, despite my enormous dedication to motor racing, I cannot neglect business. I am an administrator at Motivo JCB, SpeenRent and the Centro Hiperbárico de Cascais, which I founded. These three companies take up a considerable part of my days, at a very high rate – it is not difficult to imagine –. I have successfully managed to reconcile these two parts of my life and I intend to continue, even when time seems short.

Photo Credits: Maria Luis Gameiro

You’re also a travel lover – where is the favourite place you’ve ever been to and where is somewhere you’d love to go but haven’t been yet?

Fortunately, I have the chance to travel, which is something that is very satisfying. There are some dream places I’ve been to and it’s easy to identify two of them right away, the Maldives and Tanzania, which I loved. At the top of my “bucket list” is Japan. I am very curious about this country and culture that I want to go to, in the short or medium term.

Thank You to Maria for taking the time to chat and best of luck for the rest of 2024.

Author: Thiemo Albers-Daly