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Bianca on the global rise

Bianca on the global rise

Ronald Rey M. de los Reyes

Young Filipina shines in world stage

100 emotions in five minutes. Thank you everyone for believing in me. My first career victory!

Bianca Bustamante recently made history with her first-ever Formula One Academy victory during Round 2 held in Valencia, Spain. In the win, the 18-year-old Filipina rising star incidentally qualified in pole position after a sudden reverse grid modification in the starting lineup. She then led from start to finish in the 11-lap Circuit Ricardo Tormo, snatching her PREMA team’s third win of the season.

“I was just driving by feel that race, using all the experience we had gained throughout the whole week of testing. Starting on pole I was really feeling the nerves, knowing there were a lot of fast drivers behind me,” Bustamante said during a post-race interview.

“The team gave me an amazing car and I am delighted to take home my first-ever career win,” she added.

After the triumph, Bustamante earned 10 points, now ranking sixth in the overall drivers’ standings with 44 points. Her teammate, Marta Garcia, meanwhile, is leading with 96, with more than a dozen races to go.

Rising star hoists her winning trophy


100 emotions in five minutes

Bianca, admittedly, was speechless right after her win.


“The anthem was played, we raised the flag. We won,” she stated on her Instagram post.


“100 emotions in five minutes,” she continued. “Thank you everyone for believing in me. My first career victory!”

Understandably, it was a long time coming for the Filipina racing prodigy as her journey in the world stage as a professional racer was teeming with trials and difficulties. Prior this season, she competed in the W Series and F4 UAE Championships, resulting in lackluster performances, respectively placing 15th and 27th in the past couple of years.


“The journey was tough,” she said during her professional debut in the global stage in France in 2021.

Bustamante was the only Asian racer in the all-female roster on the racing grid.
“It’s like carrying the whole continent,” she added.

A girl dad’s legacy

Yet, despite the challenges, her recent win in Spain was proof—alone—of her mettle.


Her victory was no luck. It was a product of years of boundless dedication and relentless hardwork. Bianca has been competing in races since she was five years old. With the support of her doting father, a racer himself, she was able to establish her racing career early in life.


“I used to go to the track with him when I was really small,” she shared.
“I immediately fell in love with racing and I have never looked back.”

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Bustamante races to the finish line.


Proven champion

Time and time again, she has been a proven champion. Her number of superb feats include being: A four-time winner of the China Grand Prix Kart Scholarship (2018-2019); three-time Macau International Kart GP Champion (2014, 2018, 2019); two-time Junior Asian Karting Open Championship Overall Champion (2018, 2019); three-time Philippine Driver of the Year – Karting (2018, 2019, 2020) and Philippine National Junior Karter of the Year (2018).


Over the past decade, she has achieved these numerous feats, not just across Asia, but victories, spanning in the US and Australia, as well.


Now, with a tumultuous task of competing with the best women drivers in the world of Formula racing, she welcomes the challenge with her head held high. Her young, humble, yet competitive spirit allows her to learn and take each passing day in stride.

During an interview, Bianca said she is confident that if she works consistently, she will eventually reach her goal.

“I’ll get there one day,” she averred.

With her family by her side tirelessly backing her up, only time—and probably a bit of luck—will tell if another big success story is yet to unfold.