McLaren F1 News: Star driver announced as NEW signing in 2025 switch

Bianca Bustamante and Lando Norris — Photo: © IMAGO

McLaren

McLaren star announced as NEW signing in 2025 switch

Bianca Bustamante has raced for two seasons in F1 Academy

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Saturday 21 December 2024 09:57 Updated: 11:25

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A McLaren Racing star's career is heading in a new direction, with a promotion announced for 2025.

McLaren's young Formula 1 driver pairing of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri excelled in 2024, taking the Woking outfit to their first constructors' championship title since 1998.

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However, there was some disappointment from Norris that he wasn't able to put up more of a fight to drivers' champion Max Verstappen, and both he and Piastri have their eyes on a first championship title in 2025.

A number of other McLaren racers are set to see huge changes in 2025, with Ugo Ugochukwu and Brando Badoer both making the step up to Formula 3, and Ella Lloyd being confirmed as a driver in the all-female series F1 Academy.

A number of young McLaren drivers shone in 2024

Bianca Bustamante has the support of McLaren to develop her career

McLaren star receives stunning promotion

A young McLaren star who has been racing in F1 Academy for two years is now set to take the next step in her racing career, too, it has been confirmed.

19-year-old Bianca Bustamante has raced in the inaugural two seasons of the all-female series, claiming two race victories and five podiums in that time.

Now, however, the young talent is set to race in the GB3 Championship, with F1 Academy's X account confirming the news in an official statement.

F1 Academy graduate Bianca Bustamante will make her GB3 Championship debut with Elite Motorsport in 2025! ?

After two successful years in F1 Academy, Bianca is taking on the next step in the single-seater ladder. We can’t wait to follow her journey next year! ?#F1Academy pic.twitter.com/nBNTeae9vR
— F1 Academy (@f1academy) December 19, 2024

It was announced towards the end of the season that the F1 Academy championship winner would receive a fully-funded seat in the GB3 Championship with the Rodin Motorsport team in 2025.

That means that Bustamante will be joining 2024 champion Abbi Pulling in the series, a category that was won by Louis Sharp in 2024.

Bustamante will race with the Elite Motorsport team, with the next step on the way to her dream of racing on the F1 grid then being F3.

Max Verstappen Ferrari McLaren Lando Norris Formula 1 Oscar Piastri