Bianca Bustamante inches closer to her F1 dreams as she signs a full season contract in the Formula 4 program with italian company PREMA.
Filipina racer Bianca Bustamante will represent PREMA Racing in the inaugural F1 Academy 2023 season after inking a full-season contract in the Formula 4 program as announced on Friday, February 3.
The Italian team revealed that the teen racer will be the first driver in their three-car line-up for the inaugural F1 Academy season this year which will be integral to the development of new generation female racers to boost their campaign, inching closer in the steps of the Formula 1 ladder, namely F3 and F2.
“I'm very excited to be joining PREMA for the 2023 season. As a rookie in formula cars, 2022 was a year full of challenges, but today is definitely a big step up in my career,” said Bustamante in an interview published in the Formula 1 website.
“With PREMA, I'm joining a top driver development program both on and off the race track, and most importantly, I will have a rigorous race and test program giving me the much-needed seat time to perform at my best in competition.”
Bustamante opened 2023 by signing with PREMA and is currently competing in the Formula 4 UAE Championship ahead of her debut in the all-female series where she recently scored her first championship point with a P10 finish in one of the races in Kuwait just this week, reported PhilStar.
PREMA Team Principal Rene Rosin acknowledged Bustamante’s new feat and expressed that the team is looking forward to continuing to work with Bustamante.
"We are happy to announce Bianca for our new F1 Academy program. We enjoy working together in the F4 UAE Championship and we feel there is great potential we can build on for the future," Rosin said.
"I think she will be an outstanding fit right from the start, especially considering what she was able to achieve in her first experiences, and we are determined to provide her with our best support."
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