Filipina racing driver Bianca Bustamante said she had a hard time seeing her name next to McLaren “without getting emotional.”
Bustamante just made history as she became the first Filipino female driver to join McLaren’s Driver Development program, the British racing team announced on Wednesday.
The 18-year-old will represent McLaren on the 2024 F1 Academy grid while racing for ART Grand Prix as part of the program.
“I still have a hard time seeing my name next to McLaren without getting emotional, as the history and heritage linked to this team leaves me truly speechless,” Bustamante said in an interview with Formula 1.
“This is such an unreal moment in my career, to sign with McLaren and ART Grand Prix is way beyond anything I could’ve ever imagined growing up racing karts in the Philippines,” she continued.
Meanwhile, McLaren CEO Zak Brown, who also serves as the company’s team principal in Formula 1, also congratulated Bustamante.
“Can’t wait to see her grow with our Driver Development program 👊,” Brown said in an Instagram post.
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