Bianca Bustamante
Formula racing // Manila, Philippines
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Bianca Bustamante, born in the Philippines, was introduced to motorsport at a young age by her father, Raymund, who fostered her love for racing, starting competitively at five and joining the McLaren Driver Development and F1 Academy by 2024.
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It was incredible, definitely the fastest car I have ever driven in my life.
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FULL BIO: Bianca Bustamante
Bianca Bustamante is a groundbreaking Filipina racing driver who made history as the first female member of the McLaren Driver Development Programme while competing in the F1 Academy series.
EARLY YEARS
Born on January 19, 2005, in Laguna, Philippines, Bianca was introduced to motorsports by her father Raymund, a karting enthusiast. At just three years old, she fell in love with her first go-kart, a red 60cc Birel ART Baby Kart. Despite the Philippines having no recognized motorsport heritage, her family made tremendous sacrifices to support her racing dreams, with her father working three jobs to fund her career and her mother foregoing personal luxuries for Bianca’s racing needs.
EARLY SUCCESS
Bustamante’s racing journey began with her first national race at the Macau Kart Grand Prix at age six, where she claimed victory. She went on to dominate Asian karting competitions, winning back-to-back titles in the JR Asian Karting Open Championship and Petron Blaze 100 IAME Series Philippines in 2018 and 2019. Her transition to single-seaters came in 2022 with the W Series, where she earned top rookie honors despite being just 17 years old. In 2023, Bianca joined PREMA Racing for the inaugural F1 Academy season, securing two wins and two podiums.
NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS
- 2015: Qualified 4th out of 91 competitors in the prestigious SKUSA SuperNationals in the USA[5].
- 2019: Became the overall champion of the Asian Karting Open X30 Junior Championship[3].
- 2022: Secured her first points in the W Series at the Miami Grand Prix[4].
- 2023: Achieved her maiden formula car win in the second round of F1 Academy in Spain[1].
- 2023: Joined the McLaren Driver Development Programme as its first female member[5].
- 2024: Ranked 64th on SportsPro’s Most Marketable Athletes in the World[5].
REPUTATION
At just 19 years old, Bustamante has established herself as a trailblazer in motorsports, particularly as a pioneering driver from the Philippines. Her achievements have earned recognition from the highest levels, including personal congratulations from the President of the Philippines after her win in Valencia. Bianca proudly attributes her work ethic and determination to her Filipino heritage, emphasizing her desire to inspire young Filipina women. Her genuine connection with fans has helped build a substantial social media following, making her highly attractive to sponsors and landing her on SportsPro’s list of the most marketable athletes in the world for 2024.
FUTURE GOALS/PLANS
For 2025, Bianca has signed with Elite Motorsport for her GB3 Championship debut, marking an important step up in her racing career. Often nicknamed “The Dark Horse,” she remains motivated to create new opportunities for women in motorsports, particularly in Asia where female representation remains limited. Her long-term aspiration is to inspire young girls and foster a more diverse and inclusive environment in professional racing while progressing to higher levels of competition.
References:
F1 Academy Driver Profile – Bianca Bustamante
Bianca Bustamante is living her father’s dream
Bianca Bustamante to make GB3 Championship debut with Elite Motorsport
Bianca Bustamante on her first W Series season
McLaren sign F1 Academy’s Bianca Bustamante as first female member of driver programme
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