McLaren has signed F1 Academy star Bianca Bustamante, adding the 18-year-old to its Driver Development program. Born in the Philippines, Bustamante is the first female driver to join the British team’s development program and despite her youth, has extensive experience in single-seater motorsport.
Bustamante competed in the W Series before moving over to F1 Academy this season, where she recorded two wins and two podiums heading into the final race of the season this weekend in Austin, Texas. “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,” said Bustamante.
“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. I’m so grateful for this opportunity as I believe I now have the best possible development structure around me to take the next step up in my career, and for this I am so thankful. 2023 was all about improving my speed which I demonstrated across several races this year, but in 2024 my aim is to establish consistency and improve my mental strength in order to make a title challenge in the coming F1 Academy season.
“For now, my focus is to finish off the F1 Academy season strongly here in Austin, but we’ll get to work immediately on the 2024 season. I’ve never been more motivated in my life! A big thanks goes to Susie Wolff and the team at F1 Academy for fighting so hard for us girls and to give us this opportunity to be the best we can be. Additional thanks go to Zak Brown, Andrea Stella, Emanuele Pirro, Sebastian Philippe, my sponsors, and all my supporters for believing in me and making this all possible. I am full of gratitude, and I promise to give it my all.”
Bustamante has also expertly used social media to build up an impressive following dedicated to her journey in motorsport. Across platforms such as Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok, Bustamante has amassed over 1 million followers. “The team are delighted for Bianca to join us, and for McLaren to be involved in F1 Academy,” Andrea Stella, McLaren’s Team Principal added.
“It’s a core principle of ours to be a diverse and inclusive team, so we’re pleased to be so involved in Formula 1’s work on the important topic of improving gender diversity within motorsport. We also look forward to seeing Bianca grow and progress within the McLaren Racing Driver Development program under Emanuele’s guidance.”
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Bustamante exclusively spoke to the Daily Express Sport US earlier this year and highlighted funding as one of the main obstacles for young drivers pursuing a career in single-seater motorsport. “To pursue what I love and to live my dreams… not many people get to do that,” she said.
“Social media is great not only for showing the wins but also showing the lows. I’m so grateful to have my Dark Horse, through them I was able to achieve anything, whether that’s funding or sponsorship. It’s super important to have that platform to attract even more sponsorships and endorsements as people know that you’re able to lead a community.”
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