Although she’s got a dark horse emblazoned on her helmet, it’s no secret that Bianca Bustamante means business. Becoming the first female driver to be welcomed into the McLaren Racing Driver Development Programme, the 19-year-old intends to light up the track for the British team, racing with ART Grand Prix this season.
From the moment Bustamante first sat in a kart aged three, the Filipina racer felt right at home. After earning multiple karting championship titles, including back-to-back success in the JR Asian Karting Open Championship and Petron Blaze 100 IAME Series Philippines in 2018 and 2019, the call of single seaters beckoned. A maiden W Series campaign three years later saw her take home the top rookie honours.
Joining F1 Academy for the inaugural 2023 season with PREMA Racing, she showed off her racing chops. Securing two wins in Valencia and Monza along with a further two podium finishes, Bustamante finished seventh overall in the Drivers’ Standings.
Standing
7thPoints
73
