Bianca Bustamante put on an impressive performance at F1 Academy’s inaugural race weekend, notching successful qualifying and race results.
Filipina race car driver Bianca Bustamante has big dreams of making it to Formula 1. And with her recent finish in the inaugural F1 Academy race, it seems she is headed in the right direction.
Starting on the front row at the Red Bull Ring in Austria alongside PREMA Racing teammate Marta Garcia, the 18-year-old made the most out of her advantageous position to cross the line of Race 1 of the weekend in P3.
However, after P2-finisher Nerea Marti was handed a disqualification due to her car’s noncompliance with technical regulations, Bustamante was bumped into P2.
“Drove my heart out,” Bianca wrote on her social media posts, celebrating this triumph.
With this finish, the Filipina has gained 18 points from her first F1 Academy race, while her teammate Garcia bagged 25 after taking the top spot on the podium.
In Race 2 at the Red Bull Ring, Bianca still notched some vital points after starting seventh on the grid and crossing the line in ninth. Following this, however, she had to sit out Race 3 of the weekend due to a technical issue.
All-in-all, however, it was a successful first race weekend in the inaugural all-female racing series. And, as Bianca said herself, she is “Hunting for more.”
The next F1 Academy race weekend will take place in Valencia, Spain next week from May 5 to 7. Will the Filipina racer see another podium finish?
Banner image from Bianca Bustamante on Instagram.
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