McLaren Drops BIANCA BUSTAMANTE, Promotes ELLA LLOYD for 2025 F1 Academy

February 9, 2025

by Sheona Mountford // from www.gpfans.com

• McLaren quietly cut ties with BIANCA BUSTAMANTE after two seasons in F1 Academy, removing her from their official website and development program despite her popularity with 1.6 million Instagram followers. She finished seventh in 2024 with just one podium, suggesting performance played a role in the decision.
• ELLA LLOYD steps up to take Bustamante’s F1 Academy seat under the McLaren banner for 2025, joining the team’s young driver program alongside IndyCar’s Pato O’Ward and other rising talents. This promotion gives Lloyd crucial backing from a constructor that just claimed their first title since 1998.
• Meanwhile, Bustamante lands on her feet with a GB3 drive at Elite Motorsport, where she’ll compete alongside 2024 F1 Academy champion ABBI PULLING. This move represents a step up the ladder despite losing McLaren support, proving that F1 Academy can still launch careers even when manufacturer backing disappears.

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