Motorsport

BIANCA BUSTAMANTE has made history by becoming McLaren’s first-ever female driver.The academy racer has become the newest addition to the British motor racing team’s development programme.
Bianca Bustamante has made history by becoming McLaren’s first female driverCredit: Getty
Bustamante has earned two podium finishes in the F1 Academy seasonCredit: Instagram @racerbia
The 18-year-old is currently with PREMA racingCredit: Instagram @racerbia
Bustamante, 18, was born in the Philippines and made her single-seater debut in the 2022 W Series.
This year she raced in the inaugural F1 Academy season with PREMA racing where she has so far earned two wins and another two podium finishes.
She will be heading into the season finale in Austin, Texas this weekend currently sitting in 7th place.
The McLaren programme will include the youngster to represent the team on the 2024 F1 Academy grid and run their livery.
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Bustamante is also set to switch teams to ART Grand Prix next season.
The programme is led by the legendary Emanuele Pirro – where the promising young driver will join McLaren’s talented rank in the hope of racing in the prestigious F1, IndyCar and Formula E.
Speaking on her success as the first female to join the British side, Bustamante said: “This is such an unreal moment in my career.
“To sign with McLaren and ART Grand Prix is way beyond anything I could’ve ever imagined growing up racing karts in the Philippines.
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“I still have a hard time seeing my name next to McLaren without getting emotional, as the history and heritage linked to this team leaves me truly speechless.
“I’m so grateful for this opportunity as I believe I now have the best possible development structure around me to take the next step up in my career.
“And for this, I am so thankful. 2023 was all about improving my speed which I demonstrated across several races this year.
“But in 2024 my aim is to establish consistency and improve my mental strength in order to make a title challenge in the coming F1 Academy season.
“For now, my focus is to finish off the F1 Academy season strongly here in Austin, but we’ll get to work immediately on the 2024 season. I’ve never been more motivated in my life!
“A big thanks goes to Susie Wolff and the team at F1 Academy for fighting so hard for us girls and to give us this opportunity to be the best we can be.” More

MICHAEL Schumacher used to get smashed and rip his pals’ clothes off at wild post-race parties, his ex-teammate has revealed.British F1 legend Johnny Hebert has come clean about his crazy times with the seven-time world champion – but admits they would never get away with it now.
Schumacher in his heyday as he celebrates his win at the British Grand Prix in 2004Credit: EPA
His pal and former teammate Johnny Herbert has revealed his wild post-race shenanigansCredit: Getty
Herbert said the Germany racing star used to love to ‘get drunk early’ and ‘rip’ mates’ clothes offCredit: Getty
Hebert, 59, raced in Formula One between 1989-2000 and battled frequently against Schumacher, even when the pair were teammates for the now-defunct Benetton in 1994 and 1995.
Now, he has revealed just what the German driver was like behind the scenes as he blew off steam after races.
“The social side was better in my day,” he said in a recent interview with Lucky Block.
“The big one we had was in Adelaide after the last race. Everyone went to the same bar or club.
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“Michael would get quite drunk early on.
“His party trick was to go up to someone and rip their shirt apart with buttons popping everywhere. You knew it was coming!”
However the former speedster admitted that “everything” has changed now.
“It was an easier thing to do back then. Adelaide was the main blow out.
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“What has changed is the advent of social media. It has changed everything. You can’t go anywhere without being papped.
“They still have fun now but it has to be more controlled behind closed doors.”
Herbert also weighed in on the recent uproar over the gruelling heat of the Qatar Grand Prix and its effect on drivers.
The FIA officially launched a review last week over the “extreme” cockpit temperatures after drivers called it “unacceptable” and “dangerous”.
However, Hebert argued that the circuit had always been hot enough to “cook an egg inside the cockpit” and that Schumacher had come alive in conditions like that.
“I remember Michael Schumacher changed the whole dynamic, changed everyone’s mindset as to what it should be like to drive a formula one car to make it win, which was to drive as fast and flat out throughout a race.”
The 59-year-old said that unlike the German racing legend, the current drivers operate at “maybe 60 to 70 per cent” of their limit.
“That is not testing the human element as much as I would want to be honest,” he added.
Schumacher, considered by many to be the greatest driver in Formula One history, hasn’t been seen in public since his life-changing skiing accident nearly a decade ago.
The racing superstar suffered a horrific ski accident while with his son Mick, on the slopes above Méribel in the French Alps in 2013.
Any information about the state of his condition is tightly controlled by his privacy-focused family led by wife Corinna.
In September, Herbert revealed his former pal was “not close” to his former self following his ski crash and that his friends are often left in the dark about his health.
Speaking to Grosvenor Sport, the ex-Sky Sports pundit said: “There’s never any news. What we do know is we never hear any positive news.
“That’s the horrible thought that he is still not able to be close to the Michael that we all remember. And that is very sad.”
Herbert also reflected on how Schumacher would have made a good pundit after he retired from racing.
He said: “He would have been outspoken. He was always very aware of what you can and can’t do. 
“His character was always in your face, telling you directly if you had done something to him on the track.
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“Remember Spa with David Coulthard.  He would have been very good,” he recalled fondly.
The two racing legends together in 1995Credit: Getty
Schumacher reportedly used to have a huge ‘blow out’ after AdelaideCredit: AFP More