The first Filipina Formula One Academy driver, Bianca Bustamante, made a quick pit stop in the Philippines for her summer break and connected with fellow F1 enthusiasts.

Rarely in the country do motorsports fans flock to the Mall of Asia Central Atrium and have the opportunity to chat and receive signed autographs from the Dark Horse alongside other Filipino racing icons like Marlon Stockinger and Angie Mead King in a three-day event entitled "Race to Inspire," on Aug. 9-11.

Fresh from her racing stint abroad, Bustamante was eager to finally have the chance to meet her fans and supporters on her first official visit back to the country.

“After spending long months away from home, I’m so glad to return this summer break to spend some time with family and friends. My racing career would never have been possible if it weren’t for the support of every single one of you, so I’m very grateful for these amazing event partners that made this all happen,” Bustamante said.

Living the dream of every racing fanatic, Bustamante frequently shares her thrilling on and off-track experiences on her social media accounts.

At only 19 years old, Bustamante has become one of the most influential Filipina athletes not only in the Philippines, but also worldwide with 1.5 million followers on her Instagram account and 1.4 million followers on TikTok as of writing.

The Girl in Papaya

Bustamante started her racing journey at the tender age of three as she was introduced to the exhilarating world of speed by her father, and by the time she was six, she was already burning rubber in karting.

In a stage dominated by male drivers and in a country where racing is expensive and orthodox, Bustamante went toe-to-toe on the asphalt internationally, collecting numerous accolades across continents, most notably winning the prestigious Macau International Kart Grand Prix at only 8 years old.

Despite the challenges of frequently crossing time zones from racing and international travel, Bustamante managed to finish her senior high school in the homeschool program of the UST-Angelicum College in March 2023, where she took up the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) strand.

Her consistency and reliability on the track throughout the years soon caught the attention of the all-female single-seater championship, the W Series, when in 2022, she made history not only as the youngest driver on the grid but also as the first Filipina to compete in a formula series in which she was named as the top rookie of the class.

The end of the W Series saw her joining the prestigious Prema Racing Team, which led to an impressive debut season in the revamped F1 Academy.

She quickly made a name for herself with a historic victory in Valencia, Spain, and her success continued with another memorable win at the Temple of Speed in Monza, Italy as well as two additional podium finishes.

Her stellar performance throughout the season earned her a commendable 7th place in the championship standings with 116 points.

She now races full-time in F1 Academy for ART Grand Prix, proudly adorned in the famous papaya McLaren livery with a Formula 4 chassis.

This season has seen her achieve notable results, including a podium finish in Miami and 5th place in the championship with 57 points, with four races still remaining.

Just before the summer break, Bustamante secured a top 10 finish in tricky and wet conditions for a one-off appearance in the F4 British Championship at Zandvoort.

Gaining traction

As the racing scene in the country has shifted into higher gears throughout the years, the “Race to Inspire” motorsports event powered by GoTyme Bank sought to recognize Filipino athletes who have pushed boundaries and brought the sport closer to the hearts of the Filipinos.

Ryan Chan, the Marketing Director of Bianca Bustamante, told TomasinoWeb about the homecoming event of the racer.

“We didn’t know [how] the reception was going to be, but all that we wanted to do is not only see how we can promote motorsports [but also] promote a new generation of athletes to the Filipino youth to reach their full potential,” Chan said.

The event displayed an actual Mono Formula 3 car as well as a kart Bustamante personally raced in, they also featured other exciting racing experiences for the general public to enjoy, such as racing simulators, slot cars, and other fun games.

Never back down, never what?

As the season resumes in a couple of weeks, Chan shared more about the future of the team and the Filipina trailblazer.

“The next [step] for Bianca is trying to make sure she is getting the best performance that she can during the duration of F1 Academy. Next year, we are going to continue to develop her and get her more experience so that she can reach a higher level of motorsports,” Chan told TomasinoWeb.

“As for the team, we are doing our best for her to thrive on the motorsports side, but in addition to being able to get her the support that she needs, whether working with corporate sponsors, individuals, or with the people just in order she can have the best chance that she can drive in F1,” he added.

Bustamante will be back in the cockpit for the fourth round of the F1 Academy series at Zandvoort, Netherlands, on Aug. 23-25. Meanwhile, Formula One will also carry on from the summer break at the same track during the same weekend.-Kurt Andre Trinidad