- Bianca Bustemante First Filipina to be part of the prestigious world of Formula1 Motorsport.
- From Go-Karts to Formula1 racing tracks, she never stopped racing forward
- For 2025, Bianca signed with CUPRA KIRO at the Jakarta E-Prix to shadow the team and drivers.
Bianca Bustamante came from a quiet town in Laguna, Philippines, not a typical cradle for future international racers.
But there, her first taste of speed began, thanks to her father, who introduced her to go-karting when she was just a child. What started as a childhood passion would soon become her life’s trajectory.
WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU LEMONS
At sixteen, Bianca made a bold choice: to leave home and chase her dream abroad. The stakes were high. Motorsport is notoriously expensive, and as a Filipina breaking into a male-dominated arena, the pressure felt even heavier.
Her family invested everything — emotional support, faith, resources — so each wheel-spin carried not just her own hopes, but their sacrifices too.
There were times Bianca questioned everything. She wondered if the costs, the distance, the loneliness — all of it — were worth it. She nearly gave up. But in those quiet moments, she found a new fuel: grit. A drive not just for herself, but for a future she believed she deserved.
BREAKTHROUGH to F1
Her determination paid off. In October 2023, Bianca made history as the first female driver signed into McLaren’s Driver Development Programme. She raced under McLaren’s livery with ART Grand Prix in the 2024 F1 Academy season — a platform that catapulted her into global recognition.
Her trajectory continues to expand: in 2025, she will take part in the Formula E rookie test in Berlin and join CUPRA KIRO at the Jakarta E-Prix to shadow their engineers and drivers, gaining invaluable insight into FE operations, race strategy, and team dynamics.
Transitioning from karting in Laguna to international circuits wasn’t just about driving skills. Bianca had to adapt — to learn the culture of global motorsport, become media-savvy, understand branding, and present herself as both athlete and symbol.
She had to grow up fast. But the combination of talent, discipline, and self-belief made people take notice.
RESILIENCE
Now, as a young Filipina racing on a global stage, Bianca isn’t just chasing podiums. She’s carrying thousands of dreams behind her — for every girl who wants to race, for every Filipino who believes in something bigger.
Her path is proof that even from small towns, with grit and heart, you can accelerate into the spotlight.
For 2025, Bianca signed with CUPRA KIRO at the Jakarta E-Prix to shadow team and drivers.
Her journey from a rustic karting track to global motorsport isn’t just her story — it’s a roadmap. A reminder that the starting line doesn’t define you. What defines you is how determined you are to cross the finish line.