Bianca Bustamante continued her learning journey in the 2026 Eurocup-3 Championship. This came after delivering a series of determined recovery drives during Round 3 at Italy’s iconic Imola circuit, showing steady progress despite narrowly clinching championship points.
The 21-year-old Filipina racer competed at the historic Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari from July 3 to 5, where she faced another demanding weekend behind the wheel of the new Dallara 326 with Palou Motorsport. Now in her first Eurocup-3 campaign, Bustamante is racing the most technically advanced car of her career as she works toward her long-term goal of reaching FIA Formula 3.
Imola presented another tough challenge for the young driver after a difficult qualifying session left her with plenty of work to do in all three races. Rather than settling for her starting positions, Bustamante steadily worked her way through the field with clean overtakes and consistent race pace. She gained nine positions to finish 15th in Race 1, followed that with another eight-place recovery to 16th in Race 2, before climbing five spots to finish 19th in the weekend’s final race.
Bustamante remains the only female driver in the 30-car Eurocup-3 grid, making every race weekend another opportunity to measure herself against one of Europe’s most competitive junior formula championships.
Although she left Imola without scoring points, Bustamante said the weekend highlighted both the progress she has made and the challenges that still lie ahead. She admitted feeling emotional after the final race, believing she had come close to achieving her goal.
However, she credited her team for helping her recognize the positives from the weekend, particularly her improved race pace, cleaner driving, and ability to consistently battle within the top 15 despite starting further back. Bustamante also thanked the Italian fans for their support, describing the atmosphere at Imola as something she felt throughout every lap.
Her campaign now moves to another legendary venue, Monza, where Round 4 of the 2026 Eurocup-3 Championship will be held from July 31 to August 2. With five race weekends still remaining this season, the Filipina driver remains focused on continuing her development and turning her steady progress into her first championship points.
Autocar’s Take
Bianca Bustamante’s Imola weekend may not have produced the points she wanted, but it showcased something that’s more important — growth. Competing in the highly competitive Eurocup-3 Championship is never easy, especially as a rookie adapting to the Dallara 326. Her ability to consistently recover positions highlights improving race craft and maturity behind the wheel. The emotional honesty she shared after the races also reminds fans that motorsport is as much a mental battle as it is a physical one.
