Bianca Bustamante bags her second F1 Academy win

Following her triumph in Valencia, Spain, Bianca Bustamante once again sits at the top of the podium. The Filipina racing driver emerged as the fastest racer in Race 3 of the F1 Academy championship at Monza on Sunday. During Race 3 of Round 5, Bustamante secured first place on the podium, leaving Abbi Pulling from Rodin Carlin and Amna Al Qubaisi from MP Motorsport behind after overtaking Pulling at the Curva Grande. This achievement elevated Prema's win count to two for the weekend, following the earlier victory of Bustamante's teammate Marta Garcia in Race 1.

Before her victory, Bustamante secured a P2 finish in Race 2, achieving a back-to-back podium placement in the race weekend. Currently, Bustamante holds the P6 position in the championship standings and is closely trailing the fifth spot by a mere ten points. This performance at Monza was an impressive feat considering that Bustamante was involved in a horrific crash with ART Grand Prix’s Chloe Grant in Race 1. Both drivers walked away unscathed, however, due to extensive damage from the crash, Bustamante was forced to retire from the first race as a result. Despite the incident, it has been a marvelous weekend for Prema with two of its drivers taking a win in a single round on their home turf. 

With her recent podium finish, Bustamante now has a total of four podium appearances in the all-female single-seater competition. The 18-year-old made an impressive start to her F1 Academy journey by earning her first points in the season opener at the Red Bull Ring in Austria. She further showcased her skills by securing a victory in Valencia, Spain in May.

Next on the agenda for Bustamante is the double-header in Le Castellet, France, scheduled for July 29 to 30, 2023. Following the conclusion of this event, drivers will be taking a three-month break from the action before gearing up for the race finale in Austin, Texas, set to take place in October.