By NIKOLE JAVIER
Filipina racer Bianca Bustamante is starting the year on the right footing as she joins PREMA Racing in Formula 4 United Arab Emirates Championship for its seventh edition.
The 17-year-old Bustamante couldn’t hide her excitement as she will be the fifth woman to compete in the tournament which kicks off on Jan. 13 in Dubai for its three-race first round.
"I'm super excited to kick off 2023 by getting straight back into the race car! F4 UAE is one of the toughest championships with over 40 cars but I'm looking forward to this challenge. This will be the best season preparation I can get as a driver, especially with PREMA Team,” said Bustamante in a post.
Bustamante is coming off an up-and-down experience in the Indian Racing League last November following W Series’ abrupt end due to funding falling through in October.
Out of 19 drivers, the teen racer finished 14th overall in the standings after earning two points in the shortened seven-round season.
Despite seeing mixed results in her 2022 stint behind the wheel, Bustamante is focused and grateful to start the year making a “dream come true” racing for Prema as the additional third car on the grid for the team.
Bustamante will join McLaren junior Ugo Ugochukwu and Nicola Lacorte who competed in the 2022 Formula 4 Italian Championship.
After dominating the month-long motor racing series, Prema Racing won the driver and team championship last year.
The team also honed some of the most successful drivers in recent history in their junior careers including Charles Leclerc and almost half of the current Formula 1 grid.
“2022 was a great year for me, but today is definitely a big step up in my career. I’m incredibly grateful to join the Prema family and represent Philippines on the world stage,” Bustamante added.