Bianca Bustamante On Stalling While Mic'd Up for 'F1: The Academy'—And Why She's Never Watched 'Drive to Survive'

Bia gives us the tea on filming the Netflix series, F1: The Academy.

Published on May 30, 2025

PHOTO: Courtesy of Netflix

When Bianca Bustamante lines up on the grid, she's not just racing against other drivers or the clock—she's racing for every girl who's ever been told to stay in her lane. At just 20, the Filipina driver has gone from karting prodigy to full-on Netflix star in F1: The Academy, the newest docuseries from the creators of Drive to Survive. And spoiler alert: she's a whole moment!

In the first episode alone, Bianca's story plays out like a sports movie in real time. She stalls (!) at the start of Race 1 in Miami—cue the collective gasp—but claws her way back to P9 in one of the most impressive comebacks of the weekend. Then, in Race 2? She finishes in P2. Impressive stuff.

That grit is exactly why she's captured the attention of racing fans—and pretty much anyone with a Netflix subscription. With cameras tracking every high-stakes decision, the tension between teams and drivers, and all the fun and girlhood in between, F1: The Academy doesn't just show the sport. It shows the humans behind it.

And Bianca? She's as real as it gets. In an exclusive chat with Cosmopolitan Philippines, the 20-year-old racing driver reveals all her thoughts about the newest Netflix series, what was going through her mind during the Miami race, and even spills who her favorite drivers are. Keep on reading for more:

Cosmo Exclusive!

Bianca Bustamante Spills The Tea On 'F1: The Academy' Netflix Series

What was your reaction when you found out that F1 Academy was getting its own Netflix show?

Bianca: Petrified, I think—that was my first thought. I was like, "Oh my gosh!" Looking back, I was about 18, just turning 19, when they told us that Netflix would be coming along for the rest of the season, filming [us] on and off the track, trying to learn [our] stories. Obviously, there would be featured drivers, and I found out that I was one of the featured drivers. And I had a call with my manager and I think with my mom as well, and I was like, "I'm not used to it, it's not my world." I come from a very small town in the Philippines. It's scary, it's daunting, opening yourself up for the rest of the world like that.

I feel like, when you watch Netflix and you watch series, it's often actors portraying characters that have different storylines. It's not themselves—they're not enacting their lives, they're enacting a story. But for us, it's ours, it's my story, it's my background, it's my family there. It's my name.

But at the same time, there's so much benefit and opportunity if you put yourself out there. That's kinda like been my motto my whole life. I've put myself out there for the world to see and to judge, to watch and to love and to hate. Might as well be on Netflix! [laughs]

bianca bustamante f1: the academy netflix

Click to Enlarge

Photo: Courtesy of Netflix

What was it like having cameras around you all the time? Did you ever forget that they were there?

Bianca: Yeah! [laughs] Gosh, I think that was the toughest bit, you know, constantly having to remember that you're mic'd up. It's like a jarring feeling. 'Cause obviously, you say something and you're like, "Oh, wait, I've got a mic on." You can't really un-say something, right? But I feel like that's what makes it a great documentary. [When you're] seeing someone and connecting with them 'cause you can feel their emotions through the screen.

It's hard to kind of open yourself up, like I said earlier. But I did my best, I showed my realest me, I hope. I know that people might love it, hate it, but it is what it is, and I'm embracing it and I'm taking everything in with a smile.

Is there one thing the cameras didn't catch that you wish made it into the show?

Bianca: I think there were a lot of things that didn't [make the cut]. Obviously, I've seen snippets of it here and there, and I love that it wasn't just me—everyone's story was there. And for some reason, I felt a little bit closer to some of the drivers. Like, "Oh, I didn't know they were going through that," and it's kind of given me a different perspective of other drivers like Lia [Block] and Abbi [Pulling] and all that. So I think I love that about the show as well. It's like, I never knew those things about my teammates or other drivers.

Click to Enlarge

Photo: Courtesy of Netflix

Motorsport is still very much male-dominated. Do you ever feel like you have to prove yourself twice as hard or just let your driving do the talking?

Bianca: Of course. But I feel like that's in every industry, because females were never really born to lead or to conquer, you know? All conquerors were male for some reason. And that's just kind of how we were brought up in society.

The people we look up to, the people we watch on TV [are all male]...I feel like that's also why Netflix is so important. Not just our show, but everything that they do. They champion these young athletes, they show these stories that aren't often seen and heard. But it's so important because we are what we watch, we are what we listen to.

When I was a young kid, every time I'd turn the TV on, it was always just Barbie and this and that. And I loved it, but I always wondered where the female champions are. But now the kids can turn on the TV and watch F1: The Academy and see these amazing girls fighting it out there and making a name for themselves, and being on the frontlines of a sport that's constantly evolving.

It is a sport that's predominantly male, so you see us tackling that and at the same time, navigating through life. And that's what makes it great and what makes it so important.

One of the biggest storylines in Episode 1 was your race in Miami. Can you walk us through what was going through your mind when your car stalled in Race 1?

Bianca: I mean, it's gotta be one of the worst feelings ever, right? It's the first you do before a race, you know—you start, and I couldn't. [laughs]

So that was a heartbreak, and I was in tears. More than in tears...there were a lot of things that didn't make it to the show, lots of moments of doubts and overthinking and crying. It was a rollercoaster of emotions for that race weekend. And I think it's something that I will always carry with me moving forward. It's crazy...it's my sport, but at the same time, coming out of racing, I feel so whole, I feel so strong. I feel like, if I ever wanted to pursue anything else in life, if I wanted to be a mother, a leader, a teacher...racing has taught me so many values and has put me through so much. It's made me a better person, and that's what I love about racing.

And the fact that I got through all those hurdles, all those setbacks like stalling and coming back the next day with a brave face, brave eyes, willing to conquer everything, and fight it out there. I came home with a P2. I think it's one of those hero stories that are very much real. It's not scripted, it's not fake. It's real life, and I think that's amazing.

Click to Enlarge

Bianca at the awarding ceremony of Miami Race 2, where she bagged P2. Photo: Courtesy of Netflix

Coming back from a stall to P9 is no joke. How did you mentally flip the switch from "disaster" to "okay, the race can still be salvaged"?

Bianca: You can prepare for it as much as you can, you can analyze things, but nothing can ever prepare you for a heartbreak. It doesn't mean that because you get your heart broken once, it hurts less the next time. It always hurts the same way. You always go through the same process of overcoming it, right?

So I think for me, there was a big thump in my heart, and my heart kinda just sank to the bottom of my seat. And at that moment, while I was on the grid, I couldn't really do much, apart from get going. I had to make sure to restart the system, get the car going, and continue racing. 'Cause I still had every single fight left in me at the point. So I did that and I passed like nine cars I think and made it back to points.

And it's those moments that really define you—not the mistakes. It never is. No one can ever really define you just from your mistakes, 'cause they're inevitable. But I think it's how you overcome them and how you put yourself above it that really does define everything.

Click to Enlarge

Photo: Courtesy of Netflix

Have you watched 'Drive to Survive'? Who's your favorite driver and/or team?

Bianca: I haven't seen Drive to Survive yet! I feel like it's kind of the same with our show. I wanna watch it, but I feel like I shouldn't. It's like gossiping with your coworkers...it kinda feels like that. We're like coworkers on the track, and I shouldn't know [those things] about them. I shouldn't see them crying...I'm joking. [laughs]

But that's just me. Obviously, I've seen clips of Drive to Survive and I'm a huge, huge fan of it. It's an easy watch, it's like an introductory watch for people who don't know about racing. Because it's so general with how it's portrayed and edited. It's really for everyone, and that's what makes it great. It's bridged a lot of barriers for fans and non-fans so they can all support drivers like us.

But for me, I've always, always been a McLaren fan. But I've also, deep inside my heart, always been a Ferrari fan because of Niki Lauda, who was my hero. I also grew up watching Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Räikkönen with my dad...those are the people I always supported.

What's one thing about you that would totally surprise people who only know you as "Bianca the racer"?

Bianca: Well, there's nothing that I don't share on social media—it's like my diary. You guys are my best friends, and you guys know everything. But if there's one thing that many people may not know is that I love anime. I love music. I draw, and I do photography. I also love writing poems.

Click to Enlarge

You can now stream all episodes of F1: The Academy on Netflix. Photo: Courtesy of Netflix

You can now stream all seven episodes of F1: The Academy on Netflix.

Special thanks to Netflix and Ad Pub Hub.

Follow Cheska on Instagram.

8 Things You Need To Know About Bianca Bustamante, The First Pinay F1 Academy Driver

She's the first female driver in McLaren's Driver Development Programme.

READ HERE

Pinay Gen Z Racecar Driver Bianca Bustamante Will Be Racing With McLaren In F1 Academy For 2024

The 18-year-old racer was previously with PREMA Racing.

READ HERE

7 Cool ~*Off-Duty*~ Outfits We're Copying From Gen Z Racecar Driver Bianca Bustamante

She always looks good whether she's on or off the race track!

READ HERE

Cheska is the Lifestyle Editor + resident beauty girl of Cosmo. She loves hoarding blushes, oversharing in drafts, and pretending impulse buys are "for work."