REDEMPTION came quickly for Philippine racing driver Bianca Bustamante as she turned her weekend around in Race 2 at the F1 Academy in Miami on Sunday (US time).
After a costly error in Race 1 which caused her to tumble down to P9, Bustamante recovered by converting P2 for her first podium of the season with McLaren - a second place finish behind double-race winner Abbi Pulling of Alpine.
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Bustamante held off PREMA Racing’s Doriane Pin to take the all-important points which kept her in P5 in the driver’s championship with 39 points, one behind Chloe Chambers after the first two rounds of the season.
In Race 1, disaster struck for the McLaren driver as she stalled at the start, sliding from P4 to last place at the beginning of the race.
But she wasn’t to be denied. She made up six places in 13 laps to finish P9 and in the points in the opening race of the weekend.
She then followed it up with a consistent drive in Race 2 to make it a double points finish in Miami.
The Fillipina racer's first podium coincided with fellow McLaren driver Lando Norris’ first-ever win in Formula 1 in the main event on Sunday night.
“An amazing weekend for the team @mclaren! Our very first @f1academy podium is finally a reality, mega thank you to @artgp_official for an amazing car. They were faultless this weekend, so much more to work and show for the rest of the season. Let's keep growing.” wrote Bustamante on social media.
“And of course @landonorris first ever win. Can't believe I got to experience it in person and live this amazing moment with my papaya family.” she added.
Bustamante and the rest of F1 Academy head to Barcelona for Round 3 in June where she hopes to continue her points streak and perhaps, a first win under McLaren.
Last season, she won two races competing under PREMA Racing.
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