Bustamante snatches second F1 Academy victory

Filipina race car driver Bianca Bustamante has snatched her second Formula 1 Academy victory in Italy.

Finishing first was Bustamante from Prema Racing with Abbi Pulling from Rodin Carlin coming in at second. After race penalties have been handed over, Nerea Martí from Mercantile Campos Racing was deemed third place winner. 

“It was a tough race. The P2 in qualifying really helped me. At the start, the main goal was to race cleanly and navigate the first few corners. I tried a few times in T1 for the overtake on Abbi but was able to have a good run on one occasion into T3 and get the move down. It was a really mega job from the team and the car was amazing,” commented Bustamante.

The 18-year-old Laguna native has shown strong progress halfway through her first Formula 1 Academy season.

Prior to winning in Monza, Bustamante also nabbed a win in Valencia where she maintained lead from start to finish. That win, Bustamante told Carmudi Philippines in a previous interview, will serve as her confidence booster in the upcoming races in the Formula 1 Academy calendar.

On that note, Bustamante has been taking big steps forward in her career this year, while constantly learning and growing. As the series enters its last two rounds, Bustamante remains determined to end on a high note with a primary objective of securing a top 3 finish in the drivers’ championship, scoring more race wins, and also making significant contributions to Prema’s pursuit of the team championship.

“What an exhilarating ride it’s been so far! The first half of the F1 Academy series has honestly been an emotional rollercoaster... I firmly believe that hard work is the key to success, and I’m ready to put in the effort required to reach my goals. Despite being overcome with challenges in the last two race weekends, I want to keep my focus on growth and take steps forward. Now armed with the lessons I’ve learned, I look forward to putting them into practice starting this weekend at Monza,” Bustamante noted.

The last two Formula 1 Academy races will be in Le Castellet, in France and in Austin, in the United States.

Photos from F1 Academy and Prema Team Instagram pages

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