It’s your typical Asian family origin story – parents want their kid to study hard, become a doctor and have a stable, high-paying career. Here’s the plot twist: Kid doesn’t believe in taking the conventional path but decides to believe in herself from the moment she sits in a go-kart at age three instead.

In 2024, that self-belief culminated in Bianca Bustamante making history as the first female driver ever selected for McLaren’s Driver Development Programme.

“No one expected me to make it this far; not a little girl from the Philippines who came from a very middle-class family,” Bustamante shared via video call from her home in the UK where she is now based.

Historically, the world of motor racing is notoriously known for being accessible only to those who come from prodigious privilege and the sort of pedigree afforded by favourable parentage. It takes a tremendous amount of investment to hone a child’s driving skill starting in karting. Add to that the necessary travels to competitions around the world in the hopes of them developing sufficient proficiency to even get a shot at the big leagues.

“It's a very expensive sport that's often reserved for people with money,” Bustamante acknowledged. “So for me to make a career for myself in racing and travel the world, no one expected that, not even my own family. To be honest, I was told by family members to dream less,” she confided with nary a trace of resentment or bitterness.