Photo Credit: F1 Academy Limited
Filipina driver to make her debut with McLaren & ART Grand Prix
Bustamante to race at F1 Academy season opener this weekend in Saudi Arabia
The McLaren Development Driver puts focus on championship result
After a successful debut in the inaugural season of F1 Academy last year, Filipina racing driver Bianca Bustamante is gearing up for her sophomore campaign in the series which is set to start at the iconic Jeddah Corniche Circuit in Saudi Arabia from the 8th to 9th March. This year, the teen’s goal is to fight for the championship title as she competes alongside French team ART Grand Prix with the support of McLaren Racing.
After taking 2 victories and 4 podium finishes in 2023, the 19 year-old is looking to raise the bar in 2024 with a new approach to her F1 Academy campaign. Thanks to the McLaren Driver Development programme, her support has grown both on and off the track and this has helped Bustamante to put focus on several areas to develop including the mental aspect of racing.
Though the views along the Jeddah Corniche Circuit may be breathtaking, it is the second longest circuit on the Formula One calendar, and one of the fastest too. This would mean that the race driver from Laguna, Philippines would have to demonstrate exceptional precision and bravery on the iconic street circuit in her Papaya-colored Tatuus F4-T421.
With both McLaren and ART Grand Prix by her side, Bustamante has taken extra steps to prepare for the upcoming season. To help strengthen her driving, on top of a recent 3 day test at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit and also at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Bustamante had competed in 3 out of 4 rounds of the Formula Winter Series in Spain during the off season, to provide her with the preparation needed for a strong start to her upcoming season.
After the unveiling of their exciting lineup of tracks, the 2024 F1 Academy has been highly anticipated as the all-female series will take place at select race events across the Formula One calendar. Fans can follow all the F1 Academy sessions during race weekends through their Official website and also via live broadcast on F1 TV.
2024 F1 ACADEMY RACE CALENDAR
Mar 7 to 9, 2024:
Round 1 @ Jeddah Corniche Circuit, Saudi Arabia
May 3 to 5, 2024:
Round 2 @ Miami International Autodrome, United States
Jun 20 to 22, 2024:
Round 3 @ Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Spain
Aug 23 to 25, 2024:
Round 4 @ Circuit Zandvoort, Netherlands
Sep 20 to 22, 2024:
Round 5 @ Marina Bay Street Circuit, Singapore
Nov 29 to Dec 1, 2024:
Round 6 @ Lusail International Circuit, Qatar
Dec 6 to 8, 2024:
Round 7 @ Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi
Bianca Bustamante
Race Driver, #16 McLaren Racing and ART Grand Prix
“Heading into the first race of F1 Academy, I believe a good result here would help set the tone for the rest of the season. Over the break, I worked hard to prepare and enhance in several different areas as a driver, which should help me over the course of the season. Everything felt good during preseason testing which has given me a boost of confidence, and my goal is to carry this over to the race here in Jeddah. I would like to thank both McLaren, ART, and my sponsors, who have supported me even before the season began. I truly appreciate our dynamic which is driven by our shared determination to fight for the title. I recognized my limitations from last year and I’m glad I spent the break working on those things in order to give my all this year.”
Photo Credit: F1 Academy Limited