Bianca Bustamante, the 20-year-old pro racing driver, grew up a long way from the F1 track. “It was always generally known to be reserved for people with money,” the Philippines-native says of the sport. “I certainly did not fit the criteria coming from a very middle class family.”
By her mid-teens, Bustamante had harnessed her talent and savvy brand-building skills to make a name for herself, becoming the first female driver in McLaren’s Driver Development Program. (Which counts Lewis Hamilton among its graduates, nbd.)
Now, she’s kicking off her first season in the 2025 GB3 Championship racing series — a key stepping stone to making it to Formula 3, as she chases her dream of being a future driver on the F1 circuit. Her debut race is scheduled for April 26–27 at the iconic Silverstone Grand Prix Circuit.
Bustamante took a break from her intense gym and track schedule to share with us how she stays mentally strong in a career that’s equal parts mind and muscle.
Lean On Your More Experienced Co-Workers
”[My team has] experience in the championship. They've run it multiple years, and they are a race-winning team as well. So, knowing that they're capable of those things gives me confidence going into the year. And not just that, but they have the technical aspect that I can learn from. Working with engineers that are very, very experienced and well-known in the industry is a good thing for me, especially as a junior driver racing in GB3 for the first time this year. I will need all the experience I can get from other people.“
Make Peace With Your Doubts
“[I’m] someone who has also gone through the deep holes and rabbit holes of constant overthinking and imposter syndrome, because I've had to work very hard to progress up the motor sport ladder and work hard on and off track. I constantly still doubt whether I deserve to even be here, or whether I even deserve to be a racing driver. My advice for people who face mental challenges, such as anxiety, depression, is to first of all accept it. I think acceptance is always going to be the first part. It's the first step forward.”
Seize Every Opportunity
“Talking about expensive sports, I think racing would be ranked number one. It's not cheap! Being financially independent since I was 16, it was very difficult to make a living out of racing. I've learned to value the power of marketing and endorsement deals and sponsorships and media and using all those tools to be able to afford to race and to live. I've learned to really value every opportunity.”
Don’t Let Yourself Get Ruffled
“It's such a mind game, competing with other drivers and obviously competing in a sport that is and can be unsafe at times. Driving at speeds of over 250 km (over 150 mph) there are certain risks that come along that. Keeping a level headed mindset is the key to being a good driver. Never acting on [emotions] and always responding rather than reacting is one of the main things. This season I want to be a more professional and more levelheaded driver.”
Save Time for Creativity
“I definitely believe that art is my center. It drives me, it motivates me, and at the same time, I also become a better athlete. I’ll draw, take photography, or listen to music as a way to express the emotions I’m feeling throughout a race weekend.”
Remember the Big Picture
“There's nowhere else I'd rather be than at the track — losing, winning, bleeding, everything…. It's a dream to be here. It's a dream to be racing. It's a dream to live everything I've ever, ever wanted in life. There were certainly multiple moments in life where I've thought about giving up, but then I realized that that will never be an option for me.”
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
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