Bianca Bustamante is slowly but surely building a name for herself in the world of motorsport racing. As the only Pinay in the international racing circuit, Bianca has broken numerous glass ceilings, with the most recent one being the *first* female driver signed into the McLaren Driver Development Programme.
If you've been following Bia for a while now as a motorsports fan or you're just starting to get to know her, we've compiled eight ~*essential*~ facts you need to know about the Pinay racer. Check them out below:
8 Things You Need To Know About Pinay Racecar Driver Bianca Bustamante
1. Bianca was born on January 19, 2005.
Bianca—or Bia, as she is fondly known by fans—is currently 18 years old, making her a true-blue Gen Z. ICYDK, she's a Capricorn, which means she's hardworking, ambitious, and goal-oriented. Being one of the few girls in a typically male-dominated sport takes grit and determination!
2. She started karting at the age of five.
Bianca got her very first racing suit and helmet when she was only a year old. It was from her dad, former karting driver Raymund Bustamante. She was behind the wheel of a baby race cart when she was three years old, and eventually started karting at age five.
By the time she was eight years old, Bia had won nearly everything there was to win at the Asian and national levels, most notably the famed Macao International Kart Grand Prix, which she won three (!!!) times. One of her early career highlights was her entry into the 2015 SKUSA SuperNationals, one of the biggest karting races in the USA, where she bested 91 participants to finish fourth in her first attempt.
3. She is one of the 15 drivers in the F1 Academy.
Bianca made history in early 2023 as the first Pinay driver to join the F1 Academy. ICYDK, the F1 Academy is an all-female single-seater series owned by Formula One, with its inaugural season starting earlier this year. It was designed to help young drivers advance to higher levels of competition and transition from karting to the single-seat ladder.
4. She is the *first* female driver of the McLaren Driver Development Programme.
On October 18, 2023, it was announced that Bianca had officially signed with British F1 team McLaren to be part of their Driver Development Programme. She'll be representing the British team and ART Grand Prix and donning its *iconic* papaya orange livery in the 2024 season of F1 Academy. She's definitely in good hands—current F1 grid drivers McLaren's Lando Norris and Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton were also part of the program growing up!
"This is such an unreal moment in my career, to sign with McLaren and ART Grand Prix is way beyond anything I could’ve ever imagined growing up racing karts in the Philippines," Bianca gushed in a statement with McLaren. "I still have a hard time seeing my name next to McLaren without getting emotional, as the history and heritage linked to this team leaves me truly speechless."
5. She was previously with PREMA Racing.
For the maiden season of F1 Academy, Bianca was with PREMA Racing, an Italian motorsport team. Beginning her campaign with the team, she achieved P2 at the inaugural race of the season at the Red Bull Ring in Austria. She has also won the race at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Valencia, Spain, and clinched her first full points win at PREMA's home race at the Circuit Autodromo Nazionale Monza in Italy.
Here's another fun fact: Current F1 grid drivers Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and McLaren's Oscar Piastri also represented PREMA Racing during their Formula 2 days!
6. One of Bianca's biggest motorsport inspirations is Lewis Hamilton.
As she began her career in racing, one of Bianca's ultimate inspirations has always been Lewis Hamilton. She was able to meet and talk with the seven-time world champion several times, and she shared that it was "a moment she'll always cherish." "He knew my name and that I’m from the Philippines," she enthused.
"He's been fighting for diversity. It's one thing to be a driver but it's another to have a voice and to actually use it. He told me, 'I know it's tough. I've been there. The journey is very long and you're only at the very beginning. I'm not going to say it’s going to get easier, but you'll get stronger and you’ll get used to it.'"
She also credits the Mercedes driver as one of the original supporters of the F1 Academy. "Lewis has always supported women in motorsport. He was one of the first few people who really stood up for it and said: 'We need to have an initiative to support women.' Looking back five years ago, there wasn't even an initiative for women in the sport," she noted.
7. She is currently specializing in the STEM strand.
Bianca is currently taking up STEM, as she has always expressed an interest in architecture and engineering. She's also quite the artist, having shown off her past drawings to her fans on her Instagram Stories.
8. She has an impeccable sense of style off the racetrack.
When she's not donning her usual red (and soon-to-be papaya orange!) race suit, Bianca boasts of excellent sartorial choices off the track. The 18-year-old usually gravitates towards neutral tones with the occasional pop of color for her off-duty 'fits.
MORE BIANCA BUSTAMANTE CONTENT HERE:
Pinay Gen Z Racecar Driver Bianca Bustamante Will Be Racing With McLaren In F1 Academy For 2024
7 Cool ~*Off-Duty*~ Outfits We're Copying From Gen Z Racecar Driver Bianca Bustamante