Bianca Bustamante is a 20-year-old Filipino racing driver who became the first female in McLaren Racing’s Driver Development Programme and is competing in the 2025 GB3 Championship with Elite Motorsport, fighting to become the first woman of her generation to reach Formula 1.

EARLY YEARS

Born in Manila, Philippines, Bianca Bustamante grew up in a working-class family in a country with zero motorsport history—not exactly the ideal launching pad for a Formula 1 dream. Her father was an avid motorsport enthusiast who’d always wanted to be a driver himself but lacked the luck and money to make it happen. So he did what any parent with an unfulfilled dream does: he lived vicariously through his kid. The difference? His kid was brilliant at it.

At three years old, Bustamante sat in a kart for the first time and felt immediately at home. By age five, she was already karting competitively, and her father—working three jobs, gambling, and taking out loans—poured everything he had into funding her career. “My dad was an avid motorsport head, always dreamt of being a driver himself… he gambled everything, loaned everything, just to be sure that I could be where I am today, so he’s definitely the pillar of my career and my life,” she said[3]. To maximize her track time, Bustamante was homeschooled starting at age six, trading classrooms for circuits and textbooks for telemetry.

The financial struggle was real. International racing is expensive anywhere, but for a Filipino family with limited resources, it was borderline impossible. At 16, amid mounting challenges, Bustamante moved to the United States in search of better opportunities. It was there she caught the attention of mentor Charles O’Young, a racer who had sponsored one of her early karting victories in China and saw “great talent” in the teenager. O’Young would become a crucial advisor as she transitioned into single-seaters, guiding her through the treacherous leap from karts to cars.

OTHER INTERESTS

When she’s not behind the wheel, Bustamante has ambitions that extend well beyond the paddock. She’s interested in studying engineering or architecture—fields that marry her love of design with her competitive precision. Art and design also capture her attention, as does training, though specifics on her fitness regimen remain under wraps.

But perhaps her most impressive non-racing skill? Building a social media empire. With a combined Instagram and TikTok following of 2.4 million, Bustamante is reportedly the third most influential female driver in motorsports. She didn’t stumble into that status—she learned personal branding and social media strategy out of necessity, using digital influence to attract sponsors when traditional funding routes were closed off. She even worked part-time in media and PR for her mentor, sharpening skills that would later make her the face of outlets like Forbes and Vogue. In a sport where money talks, Bustamante figured out how to make her personality speak volumes.

EARLY SUCCESS

Bustamante’s karting career was nothing short of dominant. She won the Petron Blaze 100 IAME Series in the Philippines in 2016, 2018, and 2019, establishing herself as a force in her home country. But her ambitions were never local. She went back-to-back in the JR Asian Karting Open Championship in 2018 and 2019, claiming the Asian Karting Open X30 Junior overall championship in 2019 (and finishing runner-up that same year in another category). She also won the AAP National Karting Series in 2020 and took three victories at the prestigious Macau International Kart Grand Prix—a feat that cemented her reputation across Asia.

The jump to single-seaters came in 2022 when she joined the W Series Academy with Double R Racing, becoming the first Filipina to compete in the all-female championship. She finished 15th overall but earned the title of top rookie—a promising start in a car with significantly more power and complexity than a kart. That same year, she tested the waters in USF Juniors (four races) and the Indian Racing League, building experience in multiple series simultaneously.

In 2023, Bustamante joined Prema Racing—one of the most successful junior teams in motorsport—and competed in F1 Academy, the FIA’s pathway program for female drivers. She finished seventh overall with two wins and four podiums, including a pole-to-win performance in Race 2 at Valencia’s Circuit Ricardo Tormo (after serving a qualifying penalty) and a commanding victory in Race 3 at Monza. She also snagged a second-place finish at the Red Bull Ring in the series’ inaugural race after being promoted from third. Her 2023 season was a whirlwind: she also competed in F4 UAE (scoring points), the Italian F4 Championship (where she won twice in the Women’s Trophy), USF Juniors (three races, finishing ninth twice), and the Macau F4 Grand Prix.

NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS

• 2016, 2018, 2019: Petron Blaze 100 IAME Series Philippines champion[2][3].
• 2018, 2019: JR Asian Karting Open Championship back-to-back titles[2][3].
• 2019: Asian Karting Open X30 Junior overall champion and runner-up[1][2].
• 2020: AAP National Karting Series champion[2][3].
• Three-time Macau International Kart Grand Prix winner[2][3].
• 2022: First Filipina in W Series; top rookie, finishing 15th overall[1][3][4].
• 2023: F1 Academy seventh overall with two wins (Valencia Race 2, Monza Race 3) and four podiums with Prema Racing[1][2][3][4].
• 2023: Two wins in Italian F4 Women’s Trophy[3].
• October 2023: First female driver in McLaren Racing Driver Development Programme[1][4][6].
• November (year unspecified): Finished third in Formula E women’s test with McLaren[1][4][6].
• 2024: F1 Academy seventh overall with one podium (second place in Miami Race 2) and one fastest lap with ART Grand Prix[1][6].
• 2025: Competing in GB3 Championship with Elite Motorsport[1].

INSPIRATIONS

Bustamante’s biggest inspiration is the man who sacrificed everything for her: her father. His unfulfilled racing dreams became the fuel for her career, and his willingness to work three jobs, gamble, and take out loans to keep her on track is the foundation of everything she’s achieved. She’s racing not just for herself, but for him—and for every kid in the Philippines (or anywhere else without a motorsport tradition) who thinks the odds are too steep.

Beyond family, Charles O’Young played a pivotal mentorship role, offering advice and support as she navigated the jump to single-seaters. His early belief in her talent gave her a lifeline when opportunities were scarce.

REPUTATION

Bustamante’s reputation in the paddock is built on talent, grit, and a work ethic that’s hard to ignore. Esteban Ocon publicly hailed her commitment and ability, while Charles O’Young saw “great talent” early on. The media has latched onto her story as captivating and barrier-breaking—Forbes and Vogue have featured her as a future face of Formula 1, and outlets regularly describe her as “rewriting history” in a sport where women make up just 1.5% of competitors.

Her social media influence is undeniable. With 2.4 million followers across Instagram and TikTok, she’s become a brand unto herself, proof that in modern motorsport, being fast on track and savvy off it can be just as valuable. She’s not just racing; she’s building a movement. Her stated mission is to disrupt motorsport and prove that women—and Asian drivers—can win at the highest levels in a male-dominated sport. So far, she’s doing exactly that.

FUTURE GOALS/PLANS

In 2025, Bustamante is competing in the GB3 Championship with Elite Motorsport, taking another step up the single-seater ladder. Her ultimate goal is clear and unapologetic: she wants to reach Formula 1 and become the first woman of her generation to do so. She also wants to prove that Asian drivers can compete globally and that women can win at the top levels of motorsport—not as a token, but as equals.

She’s already made history as the first female in McLaren’s Driver Development Programme, and if her trajectory continues, she won’t just be a footnote in racing history—she’ll be a headline. For a girl from Manila who started in a kart at three years old with a father who gambled everything on her dream, Formula 1 isn’t just an ambition. It’s the whole point.

References:

GB3 Championship Driver Profile
McLaren Racing Driver Profile
Racers Behind the Helmet Interview
F1 Academy Driver Profile
Bianca Bustamante Official Website
Goodwood Road & Racing Interview
Thriving Minds Podcast