After a lengthy 5-day test in Arizona, the W Series has now selected 5 drivers that would take part of their next pre-season test and be a step closer to a full-time drive in the 2022 championship. One of them is Bianca Bustamante who happens to be the lone representative from the Philippines.
Despite jumping straight from karting to single-seaters, her performance at the Inde Motorsports Ranch in Arizona, USA was enough to convince W Series Racing Director Dave Ryan that she deserves another shot to show what she can do on track. That’s why this coming March 2/4, Bianca will be flying to Barcelona, Spain for a 3-day test at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.
But expect things to be a bit harder this time around, not just for Bianca but for all the drivers involved. For starters, she’ll be driving a proper Regional Formula 3 machinery – a Tatuus F3 T-318 used by the series – which will be far quicker than the US-spec Formula 4 she drove in Arizona.
The other drivers on track also won’t be series newcomers anymore like last time. 12 of the top W Series drivers in 2021, including 2-time reigning champion Jamie Chadwick and W Series Academy driver Irina Sidorkova, will be some of the names she’ll be up against on the time sheets. Meanwhile, the other 4 girls chosen from the Arizona test aren’t newbies either. The most notable name on that list is Juju Noda from Japan – daughter of ex-Formula 1 driver Hideki Noda. Not only is she the youngest, but also finished 7th overall in the F4 Danish Championship last year.
Bianca is determined to secure a full-time seat in the all-female W Series that provides a fully funded season, eliminating any financial barriers and selecting drivers purely on ability. She’s now training hard in preparation for the test in Barcelona, which includes a 2-day test with Doran-Kroll Competition on a similar Formula 3 machinery.
Bianca Bustamante: “I was so excited to get the news about heading to Barcelona for the official W Series test. It has been a whirlwind month as I continue an exciting start to my rookie formula car season. I had my first proper test in a Formula 4 car in California before the W Series shootout in Arizona. That was quickly followed up with an intense training camp at Pit Fit in Indianapolis, where I was able to gain a lot of knowledge and set my new fitness goals. I also reached a new milestone as I completed a 2 day test in California in a Formula 3 car. I’m just so thankful for the support of so many people along this journey. I’m working as hard as I can and I hope to perform well in Barcelona.”
