SUMMARY
- Young prodigy Bianca Bustamante of McLaren was involved in a scandal after liking a post that made offensive comments regarding Lance Stroll.
- Bustamante quickly apologized to the autism community and confessed regret for liking the derogatory tweet.
Bianca Bustamante, the recently hired McLaren talent, has been embroiled in controversy in the past few weeks as a result of her social media conduct. After signing the Woking-based unit, the 18-year-old driver soared to stardom. She was scheduled to race for the ART Grand Prix and represent McLaren in the 2024 F1 Academy season.
The volume of her haters rose along with her rise in popularity. When a social media post denouncing her as “overrated” went viral, a fan passionately defended her in the comments section. The issue took an unsettling turn when it was discovered that the deleted tweet, which Bustamante had liked, made an inappropriate reference to Aston Martin driver Lance Stroll as “autism Stroll.”
McLaren Junior apologizes for liking the ableist tweet targeting Stroll
An immediate outcry from the internet community followed this revelation. As the backlash grew, Bustamante instantly conveyed regret to the autism community. The teen driver apologized for her unfortunate link with the provocative message and made it clear that she never meant to offend Lance Stroll. The disputed post was soon removed and she issued a formal apology through X (Twitter).
— Bianca Bustamante (@racerbia) December 27, 2023
Bustamante wrote, “I truly deeply apologize. I own up to my mistakes having liked an inappropriate tweet, I can’t believe all the people whom I have hurt. I was scrolling and I accidentally liked the tweet, once I discovered that later on, I immediately unliked it. As someone who grew up with my only brother having Autism, I completely understand the challenges faced by anyone that is Autistic.”
She further added, “I take the topic of Autism very seriously and very personal. To Lance Stroll and anyone that this has offended, I sincerely apologize as these types of comments is something I do not support.” The event showed how difficult it is for young people to make it in the internet era and how critical it is to use social media responsibly in the cutthroat world of Formula 1.
Bianca Bustamante set to represent McLaren in 2024 All-Female Series
Following in the footsteps of popular drivers like Lewis Hamilton and Lando Norris, young Filipina Bianca Bustamante is on track to join the esteemed F1 Academy, as per the exciting news issued by McLaren. It is a historic moment for Bustamante to join the McLaren Driver Development program as she is the first female driver to do so.
And we are proud of you, Bianca! 😄
Bianca Bustamante is a Filipino racing driver who recently competed for Prema Racing in the feeder series F1 Academy. She is also part of the McLaren Driver Development Programme.
Follow #GMASports for more updates on Filipino athletes. pic.twitter.com/kDKXlvICzK
— GMA Sports (@gmasportsph) December 25, 2023
Bustamante intends to demonstrate her abilities on the racetrack in the forthcoming 2024 season by proudly sporting the McLaren livery on her F1 Academy vehicle. The 18-year-old Filipino racing star has been making waves in the motorsport scene since she was just five years old, winning many karting championships around Asia.