F1's Bianca Bustamante, 19, Talks About Barriers Crossing Women's Racing
When it comes to forging his own path in the world of F1, the 19-year-old Bianca Bustamante it's the best.
Bustamante, McLaren's development driver, has made waves in the racing world – from his youth and power to his social media presence, which includes 1.6 million followers on Instagram.
In a special interview no Us WeeklyBustamante said he has no plans to slow down.
“I have faced obstacles, I know the obstacles, I know the financial difficulties of working in the automotive industry,” said Bustamante. “I've been through everything, and many times I thought I wouldn't make it. I was always told, even by people close to me – family and friends – to dream a little so that you will achieve something in life. Hearing all that, I was obviously still very shocked.”
Born in the Philippines, Bustamante started running at the age of 5. Having twice won the F1 Academy in 2023 as a member of the ART Grand Prix under his belt, his eyes are focused on continuing to remove the misconceptions that already exist about what an F1 driver can be.
“You see steps being taken every day,” Bustamante boasted. “The public, people outside, may not hear or see at the moment, but steps are being taken. It's amazing.”
Bustamante thanked many “male partners” in the game for helping to push the game forward.
“Changes don't happen overnight, changes don't happen overnight,” he said. “Rome was not built in one day. The hard work that goes on and the education that everyone puts in makes the game an inclusive place for everyone. It's not just me, it's my group of people who follow me.”
Bustamante added, “I'm so happy to be at the forefront of those barriers being broken…That's always a good thing, right? Passing the torch slowly to the next generation. I hope the next generation doesn't have to go through the hardships I went through.”
Some may not know that Taylor Swift has a storied history with Formula 1 – but others are well aware of her connection to the annual motor racing series. F1 is a championship for drivers and teams competing in open wheel single seater cars. In all races, from March to December each […]
Although Bustamante is very confident about his place in the world of F1, when it comes to balancing his racing career with his personal life he admits that things are very complicated.
“To be honest, that's probably very difficult,” he explained. “There is still one thing I am working on. It's not easy. You just learn to switch from one to the other. I think you also realize that the person you have – the athlete, the race driver, the one you see in interviews – that person, it's a job. Your job. But who you are as a person – your core self – that's a completely different person.”
Bustamante continued, “Being able to get in and out of those things is one of the best things you can have because you never get lost.
