BIANCA BUSTAMANTE Shows Gaming Can Build Real Racing Skills in GB3 Rookie Season

November 10, 2025

• BIANCA BUSTAMANTE completed her rookie GB3 Championship season with Elite Motorsport after becoming the first female driver in McLaren’s Development Programme. The 20-year-old Filipino driver stepped up to faster, more aerodynamic formula cars, competing against a predominantly male grid while proving that barriers can be broken with the right support systems.
• Her unconventional path to professional racing started with gaming – specifically F1 video games on PlayStation that were more accessible than actual race tracks in the Philippines. This gaming foundation helped her visualize circuits like Monza and Barcelona years before she’d actually race them, showing how virtual racing can build real skills when traditional pathways aren’t available.
• What makes BUSTAMANTE’s story compelling is her refusal to suppress her femininity to fit motorsport’s masculine culture. She openly discusses loving fashion, dolls, and The Sims alongside her racing passion – challenging the outdated notion that women must become “more boyish” to succeed in racing. Her partnership with EA Sports and presence in F1 Academy represents the new generation refusing to choose between authenticity and ambition.

all-female f1 academy, elite motorsport, gb3 championship, mclaren