Filipina racer Bianca Bustamante clinches second in F1 Academy race
FILIPINA racecar driver Bianca Bustamante showcased her prowess on the tracks by securing second place during Round 2 of the F1 Academy race in Miami, Florida, over the previous weekend. The F1 Academy, a female-only singleseater racing championship founded by Formula One, witnessed a thrilling competition among emerging talents.
In this spec series championship, all teams competed with identical Tatuus F4-T-421 chassis and tire compounds developed by Pirelli, ensuring a level playing field for all participants.
This achievement marked Bianca’s first podium of the season for McLaren, as she finished second to the skilled British driver, Abbi Pulling. Pulling clinched her second consecutive win on the streets of Miami, steering her Alpine-liveried car to victory. Third place was claimed by Doriane
Pin, who posed a formidable challenge to Bustamante throughout the race.
The race saw pole-sitter Pulling defending her position from Bustamante’s relentless pursuit as soon as the lights turned green. Despite a slight lock-up into Turn 1, Pulling managed to maintain her lead, outmaneuvering the ART/McLaren car driven by Bustamante.
Bustamante’s hold on second place faced a momentary threat as Pin closed in on her tail. However, the Filipina racer maintained her pace, effectively breaking the slipstream advantage of the Mercedes driver behind her. Meanwhile, Pulling set repeated fastest laps, extending her lead to 3.3 seconds with three laps remaining. Pulling comfortably secured her second win of the season, extending her lead over Pin at the top of the Drivers’ Standings to 34 points, totaling 99 points.
Bustamante celebrated her secondplace finish, while Pin’s attempts to close the gap in the final laps fell short, with the French racer finishing eight tenths behind in third.
With the opening phase of the season concluded, the competition now shifts to Europe as the battle intensifies to crown the 2024 F1 Academy Champion. The third race is set to take place in Barcelona from June 21-23, promising more exhilarating races and fierce competition among the talented female racers.