Filipina racing driver Bianca Bustamante has been named one of the top 150 Most Marketable Athletes worldwide this year, according to a list released by SportsPro Media and NorthStar Solutions Group.
Photo: Bianca Bustamante
In an Instagram post, Bianca expressed her gratitude to everyone who supported her as she turned her dreams into reality through her relentless hard work and perseverance.
View this post on Instagram
“Being amongst such iconic names is surreal and humbling 🥹 When I started racing as a young kid, I only hoped to be able to drive in formula cars one day,” she wrote.
She added: “It’s been a long road, especially the last 3 years stepping up from karting to cars. I have been very fortunate to have amazing people around me to guide and teach me.”
The Filipina racer, who ranked 64th in the world, joined notable Formula 1 drivers on the list, including Lewis Hamilton,, Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc, Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri, Carlos Sainz, and George Russell.
The Filipina racer reflected on her journey and commitment to greatness: “There is still so much work to do and it won’t get any easier on this journey, but I’m truly enjoying the process of developing my skill as a driver as well as building my name in the sport. Nothing but gratitude to everyone and I will continue to give it my all.”
SportsPro and NorthStar Solutions Group used a scoring system that ranked athletes based on their brand strength, total addressable market, and economics. The 19-year-old racer, who has over three million followers across social media, achieved a marketability score of 55.14, which is a testament to her organic success. After all, she is an ambassador and a brand endorser to some of the most popular brands worldwide such as McLaren Racing, Google Chrome, EA Sports, Charlotte Tilbury, Qatar Airways, and more.
This accomplishment makes her the only Filipino who made it to the list, and the second-most marketable teenager on the list aside from Spanish footballer Lamine Yamal.
Bianca is a Formula 1 racer who made history as the first female to join the McLaren Driver Development Program, which supports young racers who aspire to make it big in motorsport. Last year, she finished her first F1 Academy season in seventh place.
In an interview with Blackbook Motorsport, Bianca proudly acknowledged her Filipina roots as she continues to build her career in a male-dominated sport. She shared, “I’m proud to be Filipina…I think it’s very important to be proud of where you come from, even though it’s a country that’s not very well known for motorsport.”
“There is an essence of responsibility, [being] a role model in every sense because there is a lot of young girls and boys that look up to me,” she added.
ALSO READ: Here Are All the Events You Can Check Out During the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix Weekend!
What are your thoughts on this? Tell us in the comments!
Do you have a story for the WhenInManila.com Team? Email us at story.wheninmanila@gmail.com or send us a direct message at WhenInManila.com Facebook Page. Interact with the team and join the WhenInManila.com Community at WIM Squad! Get the latest news about the Philippine Entertainment industry and join the WIM Showbiz Facebook group! We also share our stories on Viber, join us!
