Behind The Gate – The Interviews: Daniela Guillen

The Behind The Gate documentary series featured the red plate holder in the FIM Women’s Motocross World Championships, Daniela Guillen, for Episode 8 of 2026, entitled “An Extra Layer”, covering the Liqui Moly MXGP of Germany which included the second round of this year’s WMX series.

Spanish star Daniela has raced for the RFME Spain National Team on GASGAS machinery since 2023, and has won just as many rounds as double World Champion Lotte van Drunen in that time! However, crashes and bad luck have left her with two silver medals and one bronze across those three seasons.  Just turning 20 years old this March, Daniela has been a real force to be reckoned with in 2026, winning the opening round in France on a tie-break with Kiara Fontanesi, and going on to take a double win at the second round in Germany.

We interviewed Daniela on the Friday before the races at Teutschenthal, and just before we took her and her team to the local Karting centre for some fun Behind The Gate footage! Competing against her EMX250 teammates Adria Monne and Manuel Carreras, as well as their three mechanics, Daniela proved to be just as competitive on four wheels as on two, and set the fastest lap time around the circuit! As part of the wager, the mechanics bought the riders a Coca-Cola to celebrate…

 

BTG: Thanks for joining us Daniela, and congratulations on a great start to 2026! Looking at the calendar, you don't have Sardegna anymore, so you’re not starting with the sand this year. Do you think this year is looking better for you because of that, or how did you look at the Championship in general, and your chances for winning it?

DG: Yeah, I think the Championship this year, I like more, because only one race of sand, I think in Spain we only have hardpack tracks, so I think it's good for me. And also, the tracks that we have, the races are similar to Spain, they're small and also technical, so I think it's good for me.

 

BTG:  Did you know the track in France already? Had you raced there before? What were your thoughts on the track?

DG: No, the French track, it was a new track for me, so I improved through the weekend. The track is small and not such high speed, so I think it was technical, the jumps were small, so yeah, I like it so much.

 

BTG: So, race one in France, not such a good start for you. And then, of course, Lotte crashed just after you passed her. You couldn't quite catch Kiara but still had good speed. So, what were your thoughts after race one?

DG: Yeah, race one was difficult for me. I started a little bit badly. Then it was so difficult for me to find the rhythm. And then when I passed Lotte, I wanted to catch up to Kiara, but it was difficult for me also, because it was difficult to pass. But yeah, I think the first race is a good one. Second position, so yeah, I'm happy.

 

BTG: Great stuff, and then the second race, you had different conditions, the track was wetter. So, you saw that Kiara pulled a big gap, and then you just kept catching, and then she had no answer for you. So, how good was that to catch that gap to her, and then take the win?

DG: Yeah, race two was a good race for me, also for my head, because in these two years it was difficult, I could not start with a good result. So, yeah, race two, I started even worse than before! And I say to myself, if I cannot find my rhythm and go to catch the leader, it's difficult to win. So, I don't know what I did, but I did a good job, and also with my mechanic, he put the distance up to the other riders. So yeah, I find a good rhythm and pass, and take the lead, and build a good gap, a distance for Kiara to not catch me.

 

BTG: Now we're in Germany, another hardpack circuit. You have twice finished on the podium here, in second and third, I think. So, do you like the track? Do you like the venue, the crazy German fans, the atmosphere? What's it like to race here?

DG: Yeah, I have good memories here from this track, and I think it's also hardpack, similar to Spain. So similar to the tracks that I train on. So, yeah, I like so much. And also, I think that the track is not the problem, it's me that feels good, I have a good vibe here.

 

BTG: Just a word about the fans. Do you feel the noise when you’re on track? I mean, you've raced when Larissa is racing and they all go mad with the chainsaws. Do the fans make a difference, when you're racing

DG: Yeah, I think in Spain it's like, more good for me, but yeah, here also for Larissa it's good, the fans and all the people. They make a lot of noise, just not for me!

 

BTG: Now you're coming here with the red plate. The first time for a while! You had the red plate in 2024 briefly. How does that feel? We haven't seen it yet, is it looking good? What does it make you feel to have the red plate now?

DG: I think, to take the red plate in the first round is amazing, because that says that I did a good job in pre-season, so yeah, I'm happy, and now I have to say consistent, and have all the time the right play on the bike, to ride like I know I can.

 

BTG: You're now not a teenager anymore. You're 20 years old, so are you finding now the training is coming easier? Are you able to build the fitness more? How is it feeling with the training and the preparation?

DG. It's the same as every year, really. Every year, I improve with my training, with my speed. I am improving, now that I'm getting older, getting better and better, stronger and stronger. Also with the team, with the bike, and I think we do a good job.

 

BTG: Can you tell us why you ride with your number, the number 255? Why do you have this?

DG: When I was younger, I started with the number five, so all my life I ride with the number five. You can’t always have it, so I don't know why, but yeah, now it’s 255. I don't know. No reason. It just looks good to me.

 

BTG: What would you say was the best moment, in your Motocross life so far, until now?

DG: When I won in Madrid, in 2024, at into-Xanadu Arroyomolinos. It was an amazing win there. Winning there with all the fans, all the Spanish fans, making so much noise for me. We battle with Lotte, very close to the end. To win at home, it was an amazing feeling.

 

BTG: You went onto the podium in France with the number plate, the number 83. We heard the news of the Spanish rider, Enzo Badenas, he was in your team I believe, who died in December while training at Red Sand. What did he mean to you?

DG: I mean, it was on the podium in France, maybe here as well, I hope so. To show the number 83, for me was very important, because he was one of my best friends. I just started, like I want to dedicate this victory to my friend, and I went to the podium with his number. To show like he is always with me. I want to pay tribute to him.

 

Epilogue

Daniela heads to the Monster Energy MXGP of Great Britain with a six-point lead over Kiara Fontanesi, and the pair of them are over 30 points clear of the rest of the chasing pack, as nine points cover all of the riders from third to tenth! Daniela has yet to race in the UK, but we’re sure that Foxhills will be to her liking, even if you can hardly call it a small track! This quiet, almost shy Spaniard charges like a bulldog on track, and as Kiara herself said in her ear at the end of last season, she is highly likely to one day soon become a Women’s FIM Motocross World Champion.