Who is Bianca Bustamante and what is the F1 academy driver’s role McLaren?

BIANCA Bustamante has made large waves successful the satellite of racing.

The motorsport star has fans each implicit the satellite arsenic she boasts an awesome pursuing connected societal media. Here's what we know.

Born January 19, 2005, Bianca Bustamante is simply a Filipina racing driver.

Bianca entered onto the karting country astatine a young age, competing successful competitions since the property of five.

Racing is simply a passionateness Bianca shares with her father, but he's not her lone fan.

She has captured the attraction of 3 cardinal followers connected her Instagram and TikTok profiles combined, with fans often visiting her leafage to spur her on.

In October 2023, it was announced Bianca would articulation the McLaren Driver Development programme, representing the squad successful the 2024 F1 Academy play with ART Grand Prix.

Bianca is the archetypal pistillate operator signed to the McLaren Driver Development Programme.

And the 2nd full-time pistillate operator signed by McLaren aft Emma Gilmour.

Bianca often makes airy of being a abbreviated racing car driver, confessing successful a TikTok station connected October 5, 2023 that she stands astatine astir 5ft 2inches.

Achievements

Despite Bianca's height, she's not abbreviated of wins successful the satellite of motorsport.

In March 2024, conveyance rental institution Avis ranked Bustamante the third-most influential non-European pistillate racing driver.

Eight months later, SportsPro's ranked Bianca 1 of the Most Marketable Athletes In The World of 2024.

Speaking connected what it means to her to beryllium mentioned arsenic the lone jock of Filipino nationality connected the list, she said: “I’m thrilled to larn that I person been ranked arsenic SportsPro Media’s 64th astir marketable jock of 2024.

"Being listed among different iconic athletes and motorsports talents is thing I did not ideate erstwhile I began racing arsenic a young kid.

"It’s astonishing to spot each the hard enactment crook into results similar these - truthful I tin proceed to further make my skills arsenic a operator and further make my marque for sponsorship opportunities."

Bianca made past alongside Ella Lloyd successful November 2024 arsenic they represented the NEOM McLaren Formula E Team successful FE’s archetypal Women's test.

This was Formula E's first all-female trial "to amended diverseness and equality crossed motorsport".

Bianca tested the caller 'Gen3 Evo' electrical car - which is 30 per cent faster than current F1 cars.

The McLaren Development Driver placed third, and the duo was praised for however rapidly they adapted to the caller machinery successful their archetypal sensation of the all-electric series.

Career timeline

• F1 Academy Round 5 @ Monza, Italy: Race Win 2023
• F1 Academy Round 2 @ Valencia, Spain: First Career Win 2023
• Signs F1 Academy with PREMA: Full Season 2023
• Formula 4 UAE Championship with PREMA: 2x Top-10 Finishes 2023
• W Series: Top Rookie successful Driver Standings 2022
• W Series Scholarship Shootout: Winner (Academy Team) 2022
• Selected for FIA Girls connected Track: Rising Stars Global Shootout 2021
• 3x Philippines Driver of the Year (Karting): 2020 - 2018
• 3x Macau Kart Grand Prix Winner: 2020 - 2019