Bianca Bustamante clinches 7th place in first F1 Academy season
Photo from racerbia/Instagram
Never back down, never what? Filipina racer Bianca Bustamante said “never give up!”
McLaren’s first Filipina driver recently finished her race in F1 Academy’s inaugural season in seventh place.
While the journey was filled with its fair share of ups and downs, the 18-year-old racer’s remarkable achievements over the course of the seven rounds of the all-female single-seater formula racing championship are nothing short of inspirational.
The season witnessed fierce competition among some of the most promising drivers worldwide.
Bustamante’s resilience and fighting spirit were evident from the beginning. Posting on Instagram, she proudly declared, “Been a fighter my whole life! Today in Race 1 we had the pace and fought to P4 from P6 after getting my P3 lap time deleted for track limits in quali!”
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Race 1 of the season saw the Laguna native facing adversity with her lap time deleted for track limits during qualifying. Undeterred by this setback, she showcased her skill by clawing her way from P6 to P4 during the race. It was a testament to her speed, tenacity, and the relentless pursuit of excellence that fueled her throughout the season.
The challenges continued in Race 2, where a “heartbreaking” stall dashed her hopes for a victory.
However, Bustamante’s fighting spirit prevailed as she continued to fight her way through the competition. She pushed her limits, driving every lap and every corner as if it was her last. From P14, she displayed remarkable skills to finish in seventh place, passing seven cars in just eight laps.
In the final race, she secured the 13th position, finishing the season in seventh place in the overall standings with a total of 116 points. Her season was highlighted by two victories and four podium finishes.
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“This season in @f1academy has been such an amazing journey, so much has happened and I’m so grateful to my team @prema_team for giving me such a great car all year long and the tremendous support in my driver development,” she wrote.
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