Bianca Bustamante basks in the spotlight at the 2024 Gold Gala
Photo from racerbia/Instagram
After securing a podium finish during the F1 Academy Miami round, Filipino American racer Bianca Bustamante took a break from the racetrack to attend the prestigious 2024 Gold Gala in Los Angeles.
The 19-year-old, who recently made history as the first Filipina driver for McLaren, dazzled on the event’s carpet in a simple yet elegant dress by renowned Fil-Am designer Monique Lhuillier.
Bustamante shared her excitement on social media, posting photos of herself in the chic ensemble with a long caption. She expressed, “Oh, to be wearing this dress, surrounded by people that I’ve looked up to my whole life. What a magical feeling it is to be celebrated, to be Asian.”
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She reflected on the significance of representation and the courage it takes to stand alone, adding, “Tonight I saw the value of representation, why it matters to sometimes be brave enough to stand on your own. Being Filipino, I learned the greatest lesson in life. It’s to value everything, every opportunity.”
“Because of this, I was able to live my dreams. And being here at the @goldhouseco Gold Gala, listening to all the stories of others’ hard beginnings made me realize how proud I am to have started from where I did,” Bustamante added.
The Fil-Am racing prodigy expressed her gratitude for the support she has received, stating, “I’m truly honored to be here, to be in this moment. Thank you so much to everyone, to all of you for continuously rallying behind me. It’s been an amazing few weeks.”
She also thanked her team for their support in making her feel like a princess, acknowledging her stylist Danyul Brown, and her hair and makeup artists Rikki Gash and Nova Kaplan. A special mention was given to Lhuillier for the lovely dress she wore to the event.
Meanwhile, she also posted some photos with “13 Reasons Why” actor Ross Butler and “Avatar: The Last Airbender” star Dallas Liu.
Bustamante’s presence at the Gold Gala highlighted her dual identity as a racer and an icon, celebrating her achievements both on and off the track.
