The disappointing setback could be a prelude to a rousing comeback.
As with any high-level racing driver who’s competing in the world’s top circuits, tons of preparation was put into Bianca Bustamante’s debut stint at the Macau Grand Prix for the non-championship round of the 2023 Formula 4 South East Asia Championship.
The meticulous planning, the long hours spent in data analysis, the tiring practice sessions, Bianca and her team did it all. That’s why the Filipina race prodigy couldn't hide her frustration after rendering a DNF (did not finish) on Sunday.
The 18-year-old McLaren development team member took to Instagram to perhaps blow off steam and explain her side of the story.
“I’d be lying if I said Macau didn’t break my heart. From practice to Race 1, I drove my heart out, improved every single lap even though the first few laps scared me to death,” Bustamante wrote.
The Macau Guia Circuit is famous for being one of the most challenging tracks. Still, the 18-year-old BlackArts Racing driver was able to navigate her way to a favorable position to advance.
“P11 in qualifying and a clean drive in a wet Race 1 moved us up to P9 for the final. We worked extra hard today to go over onboards and data improving my technique to close down the gap,” Bustamante said.
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Just like in the movies and perhaps in real life as well, a plot twist emerged just as everything seemed to be going as planned.
“But yeah, on lap 1, a driver out-braked, flew past me, and hit the wall in Lisboa, giving me absolutely no room to go which caused me to DNF,” explained Bustamante.
“I gave it my best fight for a top 8 but this one was out of our control,” she added.
Still, Bustamante tried her best to find the silver lining amid the disappointment. She’s now banking on the whole experience—good and bad—to fuel her fire as she moves forward.
“Thank you, Macau for teaching me to be patient, to not rush into things. You were a tough lesson,” Bustamante said. “We’ll fight back as always! A P9 in race one was a major improvement, and we gotta take that as a win to keep progressing.”
(PM)