Photo: Prema
Bianca Bustamante, who is currently racing in the Formula 4-spec F1 Academy series, will make a return to USF Juniors for its season finale at Circuit of the Americas.
The 18-year-old Filipino primarily raced in Formula Regional last year, as she came 15th in the all-female W Series in her rookie single-seater season, but she also did the first two rounds of USF Juniors (which at the time was an F4 series) and took one top-10 finish.
She started 2023 in F4 United Arab Emirates, coming 27th in the standings for Prema with three points. She then joined the team in the new F1 Academy series (another all-female competition), and is currently seventh in the standings with two wins and two further podiums.
The USF Juniors season conludes at COTA on August 24-27, and F1 Academy’s finale is also at the track but two months later. That makes Bustamante’s USF Juniors cameo, with the race-winning Exclusive Autosport team, a useful trip to get track experience over her rivals.
“America holds an incredibly special place in my heart, as it was in USF Juniors where I competed in my first ever single-seater race,” said Bustamante.
“I’m very excited to be returning to where my professional racing journey began and to be competing in the series’ final round with the esteemed Exclusive Autosport. For the upcoming race, my main focus is making use of the track time, learning the circuit, and continuing to progress.
“I’m grateful for this opportunity and looking forward to racing alongside this tough grid of drivers. In preparation for this race, there is still a lot to do and I will work hard to maximise in all aspects. The two days of testing at Autobahn [Country Club] went very well, so I will approach the race weekend with confidence and determination to do my best.”