BEHIND THE ENGINEERING // DALIA RAMOS GUERRA
PRECISION, PRESSURE, AND PROGRESS
This Latina engineer is breaking new ground in the world’s fastest sport, developing precisely designed machinery that must meet the most grueling standards.
Written by Aida M. Toro
“I never thought engineering wasn’t for girls.”
—Dalia Ramos Guerra, head of Build and Test, Formula 1
IN THE HIGH-OCTANE WORLD OF FORMULA 1, where engineering precision can mean the difference between victory and defeat, Dalia Ramos Guerra stands out—not just for her technical prowess, but for the path she’s forged as one of the few Mexican women shaping the sport’s future. From her early fascination with mechanics to the pressure-cooker environment of race weekends, Ramos Guerra has navigated a field long dominated by men with a mix of grit, curiosity, and vision. Her story is as much about breaking barriers as it is about the relentless pursuit of speed, innovation, and possibility.
“Back in the day when I was growing up, Formula 1 was a niche sport just for the rich people and wasn’t something I was inspired to pursue,” Ramos Guerra said. “However, my parents always convinced my sister and me that we were excellent and that we were going to achieve whatever we wanted. They taught us to have big objectives and dreams.”
Ramos Guerra was born in Mexico City and grew up in a small, close-knit family with her older sister. Her father ran a modest food business, while her mother stayed home to care for the family. Neither parent pursued higher education, so there was no direct influence guiding her toward engineering. Still, both Ramos Guerra and her sister went on to be the first members of their family to earn engineering degrees.
“I always wanted to do something extraordinary, innovative, and that could change the world,” she said. “Since I was in primary school, I realized I really loved math and physics, which I was actually really good at.”
While Ramos Guerra didn’t grow up with a single role model in her family or community, she credits a series of teachers and mentors. Rather than one defining figure, it was the collective impact of these individuals that set her on a path toward Formula 1.
ENGINEERING FOUNDATIONS
Once she entered high school, Ramos Guerra began participating in national math competitions—she won won third place in one of them. Her mother noticed her natural ability with numbers and arranged for her to study with a teacher after school. He provided her with extra lessons and, more importantly, instilled a love of mathematics that went beyond solving equations.
“He helped me love math in terms of everything you do with your brain. It’s so fun when you’re trying to solve a complex problem,” she expressed.
That experience sparked a fascination with tackling complex problems and deepened her appreciation for physics, which would later become central to her engineering career. But at the end of one physics course, a teacher called her aside and told her that she could be the best student in the room, but attitude and the ability to work with others would be key to success.
“That lesson has stayed with me throughout my career. Sometimes, when I work with people, I see the difference it makes when someone hasn’t had that guidance early on,” she said. “It’s a reminder that while talent and hard work are critical, the ability to collaborate and remain humble is what truly shapes a lasting impact.”
Ramos Guerra thought it was natural curiosity that led her into engineering and motorsport.
“I grew up with male cousins and fans of cars, so I grew up watching the cars and all the conferences and exhibitions that came to the city,” she recalled. “Late at night, my cousin and I would wander the city after dinner and coffee, stopping outside a garage filled with fancy sports cars.”
She would stand outside that garage at night, admiring the cars and always saying she was going to have one someday.
Dalia Ramos Guerra at the 2022 Mexico Grand Prix. Photo: Dalia Ramos Guerra
Together with the Alpine Executive Team, Ramos Guerra helped unveil the A523 F1 car in 2023. Photo: Dalia Ramos Guerra
NEW PATHWAYS
Education was a defining challenge in Ramos Guerra’s journey. In Mexico, private schools are often regarded as superior, but her family couldn’t afford them. She relied on scholarships from high school onward. University was her first real milestone.
“It was really challenging and completely different in terms of the size, cost, and complexity,” she explained.
Ramos Guerra got accepted to the Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education, where she deliberately chose the most demanding degree available, mechatronics engineering, both for its rigor and for the doors it could open in technical fields and innovation.
“I never thought engineering wasn’t for girls,” Ramos Guerra said.
She won a scholarship awarded to the top 100 students in Latin America, joining a high-performance program emphasizing leadership, sports, cultural activities, and a 360° development approach. Despite her confidence, she recalls hitting a wall in her third semester.
“It just started getting more and more difficult. I couldn’t bear it anymore,” she said. “It was really demanding and at the same time I was facing some family issues at home.”
Failing exams for the first time made her feel like her world was collapsing. She knew her parents couldn’t afford the university, so if she didn’t hit the 90 percent she needed at the end of the semester, she would have to leave. Seeking help for the first time, Ramos Guerra turned to a therapist.
“It was really good because I understood so many things about myself. I’m not just about results,” she stated. “I’m about everything I have to give, my values, and of course results are good, but if they aren’t there, that doesn’t remove the value of your persona.”
Through this process, she learned that failure is inevitable, but resilience and the ability to ask for help are what truly matter.
“You need to find a way to stand up again. Cry if you need to, but then stand up and keep going,” she reflected.
Dalia Ramos Guerra, head of Build and Test for the Alpine F1 Team, on the pit lane during race weekend preparations. Photo: Dalia Ramos Guerra
FINDING F1
Unlike many of her peers, Ramos Guerra didn’t have any internships directly related to Formula 1 or motorsport because it felt so remote in Mexico.
“I loved cars, but I never knew that Formula 1 cars were an option for me,” she said.
Instead, she focused on developing a mix of technical skills and broader experiences, from sports to volunteering with disadvantaged children.
“It’s always been about what makes you a more complete human,” she explained.
During her last year of university, she started a small manufacturing project to save money while exploring her curiosity.
“As soon as I arrived, I absolutely knew that was what I wanted to do. It was technical but also about people,” she said. “Leaders can influence people positively, and I wanted to be part of that.”
After 23 years in petroleum and natural gas engineering, Ramos Guerra pursued further education abroad. She received a scholarship from the Mexican government to study at the University of Nottingham in the U.K., completing her master’s degree in manufacturing engineering and management. After graduation, she began working at Rolls-Royce Aerospace, spending nearly seven years in multiple placements across England and Scotland.
“It was all aerospace-based—a really cool experience working with jet engines and small components. I was really lucky to learn very quickly there,” she recalled.
In June 2021, while leading Rolls-Royce’s global service and repair operations, Ramos Guerra sought a new challenge. With the pandemic affecting operations worldwide, she wanted to work with a product that was more exciting than jet engines—and she knew that product could only be Formula 1 cars. Today, she leads engineering operations as the head of Build and Test with the Alpine F1 Team.
When she transitioned into Formula 1, Ramos Guerra faced leadership challenges.
“Some people reporting to me didn’t understand the value I brought and they actively tried to bring me down,” she said. “There was a point where I listened to them too much and started doubting myself, doubting my decisions, doubting what I knew was right.”
The challenge became particularly acute during the 2022 car build for the new season. With brand-new regulations and a completely new car, Ramos Guerra stepped in as one of the key managers after a senior manager left because he did not accept her as his manager. Rising to the occasion, she promoted a team leader she had been developing.
“With his support, we successfully achieved all the validation and homologation of the new car and called it A522,” she said.
Reflecting on the experience, Ramos Guerra noted, “At the end, everything was sorted, and it became a very big lesson for me. I learned to build stronger relationships, get the people on my side, and respect those who deserved it.”
As for Formula 1 itself, she pointed out that the industry is driven by prototypes. “In other industries, you need a finished product that’s fully tested, certified, and validated before it goes anywhere near the final user,” she explained. “In Formula 1, you do testing and validation, but you never really know how it’s going to perform until it’s being used by the driver.”
She emphasized the broader impact of the sport, as a lot of Formula 1 innovations eventually trickle down into road cars and other industries.
“Ultimately, Formula 1 is also driven by the fans. Millions of people enjoy watching the championship, and that’s not going to change anytime soon. Of course, we want to go greener and look after the environment, but the spirit of the sport—the adrenaline, the excitement—that’s going to remain for a very long time,” she said.
Ramos Guerra is already building a legacy by being the first Mexican female in the sport. She wants to keep working toward a more inclusive environment, not just for more women or people from different backgrounds, but to create the right conditions where everyone can thrive.
“It’s no secret that it’s much harder for minorities to achieve the same results, so the conditions have to be set up fairly,” Ramos Guerra said. “I love Formula 1—the championship, the adrenaline, my team, seeing the car and building the parts—but I also want to do more for minorities, to help them feel included, and give them the right conditions to succeed.”
Aida M. Toro is a lifestyle writer in New York City.
“In other industries, you need a finished product [...] In Formula 1, you do testing and validation, but you never really know how it’s going to perform until it’s being used by the driver.”
—Dalia Ramos Guerra, head of Build and Test, Formula 1
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