Bustamante ends bid for Ferrari Driver Academy scholarship
MANILA, Philippines – Filipino racing ace Bianca Bustamante has ended her chase for a spot in the prestigious Ferrari Driver Academy after struggling in the FIA Girls on Track-Rising Stars Shootout in France over the weekend.
Going head-to-head against 14 of the best young female racing talents in the world, the 16-year-old did not advance to the next stage set in Italy as she failed to deliver a strong performance — owing to nearly two years of no on-track competition.
She also needed to adjust to a new type of race engine and a soft tyre compound, which prevented her from getting comfortable in the Praga kart.
However, Bustamante isn't going home empty-handed as she was able to pick up lessons from the experience.
Apart from being able to race at the historic Paul Ricard Circuit, she had the opportunity to attend workshops prepared by internationally renowned driver performance center, 321 Perform.
Bustamante remained grateful for the experience and the lessons she was able to get to further her young racing career.
"Naturally, I am very disappointed for not achieving ultimate success but I am forever grateful to the FIA for the opportunity to participate in this shootout. There are so many positives and learnings that I will take with me as I continue my racing career," she said.
"I learned how to optimize my driving and of course how to adapt to the given condition. But seeing everything that happened, I’ll focus the most on gaining more experience and physical training," she added.
Adding to what she gained in terms of her racing, the Filipina teen also used the FIA Women in Motorsport's initiative to create connections with her fellow young drivers.
"What I will treasure the most are the friendships I’ve made during my time here. My fellow racing girls are talented, fast and all deserving of motorsport success, so I wish them the very best," she said.
"The road to F1 is long and I am very confident that I will see them again in the near future — and hopefully compete alongside them," she added.
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