Cover Bianca Bustamante poses next to her car for the Indian Racing League at Hyderabad
Bianca Bustamante poses next to her car for the Indian Racing League at Hyderabad
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Get to know the up and rising motorsports racing driver Bianca Bustamante as she encourages young women to pursue their dreams
Before Bianca Bustamante graciously sped her way through the tracks as the first Filipina motorsport star to join W Series, signed with PREMA Racing for the Formula 4 UAE Championship and F1 Academy, and scored her first career win this past weekend at Valencia, Spain, she was, like many others, just a young girl with a big dream.
When Bustamante was three years old, she already had her first kart. By the time she was six, she was already competing. “It really is such a dream. Racing is an expensive sport and since I come from a middle-class family in the Philippines, I thought none of it would ever be possible for me,” Bustamante says.
“My parents had to work very hard, and racing wasn’t really a priority for our family, which taught me to think of every opportunity I get to be hard earned. I couldn’t take anything for granted. It was so difficult financially,” she adds.
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From being an underdog in a sport that is male-dominated, and all the struggles that are tied with mastering the driving profession: training tirelessly, studying data to engineering parts of the car day by day, building sponsorships, the racer shares how she was able to overcome it all.
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“When I started racing, I’d always be the only female. There are few female drivers, especially from Asia, because we have that mindset embedded in our culture that women aren’t good enough to be racers—which is something I want to break. Competing with men in their own sport, that’s empowering for me.”
Additionally, the athlete opens up to challenges she’s faced with as a woman and her beliefs in overcoming the obstacles. “Apart from the performance aspect, there’s also the physical aspect which likely sits better with men genetically. But for me, it’s never a disadvantage. Strength and performance can be enhanced but fighting spirit, dedication, and mentality is something that you need to have to be a champion at any sport or career,” Bustamante says.
Although seemingly overflowing with positive energy, courage and strength, Bustamante admits that she’s had her fair share of tough times, too. “We are human beings first before we’re athletes. There are moments that I forget that as well. I disregard how I feel because of my sport and that’s something you should never do. You should prioritise your happiness.”
Related: Bianca Bustamante bags third season win for PREMA at Formula 1 Academy race
Above Bustamante during her training session
Bustamante during her training session
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Parallel to her professional venture, she enthusiastically mentions her respect for the arts in her interest for architecture: “I love drawing and art in general. How creative people can be and how people can release their true selves and express their emotions in their craft. For me, art and racing are alike. In racing, I can be as aggressive as I can be with the lines I take, crazy and vicious, sky’s the limit. That’s the beauty in it.”
For Bustamante, true victory is not being afraid of failure because the more one fails, the more there is to learn. “That’s where true growth is. If you’re going through a tough time, just never lose yourself and continue with what you want to pursue. The happier you are, the better you perform. Have perseverance, be physically and mentally strong,” she says.
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Bustamante never forgets to give back to the community as much as she can. In fact, when she was in Singapore together with her team CBR Media, they reached out to an NGO called Inspiring Girls and organised an event for young girls who aspire to be racers where she taught them how to drive using a simulator.
Despite shattering gender barriers, she is humble enough to declare her weaknesses alongside her strengths which is a true sign of greatness. And this year, Bustamante competed in the F1 Academy, an initiative launched by Formula 1 that champions females and their talent for motorsports, with a win under her belt.
Author's note: Bustamante won the Formula 1 Academy Race 2 in Valencia, Spain. As of May 10, 2023, she has a total of 44 points, placing her at 6th place overall. The races will continue until October 22, so, until then, Bustamante still has a chance to turn the tide. Track her performance at www.f1academy.com.
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Credits
Words: Angela Nicole Guiral
Kristina's passion to write came from her love for books. If her nose isn't buried in one nor her fingers are tapping away on a keyboard working on a write-up, you'll find her having a feast at a new restaurant or savouring coffee in the nearest shop listening to rock music. Also interested in computer games and all things Japan, she spends her free time playing Dota 2, watching anime, as well as reading manga.
