19-year-old Filipina racing driver Bianca Bustamante has been ranked #64 on SportsPro Media and NorthStar Solutions Group’s 2024 list of the top 150 Most Marketable Athletes in the world. This ranking reflects her rising profile in the world of motorsport and the growing influence of young women in sports.
Competing as a junior driver in the all-female F1 Academy, Bustamante is the only Filipino athlete included on this year’s list and the 8th highest-ranked motorsports athlete, in the esteemed company of Formula One drivers like George Russell (#63) Carlos Sainz (#58) and Lewis Hamilton (#11). This achievement is particularly noteworthy given the young age of Bustamante as well as the limited exposure for Asian drivers in the world of motorsport.
Bustamante maintains her social media presence with her combined following of over 3 million followers across Instagram, Twitter (X), TikTok, and Facebook. This engaged and diverse following, spanning over 20 different countries, sees her at the top of the list as the most followed female junior driver and places her 24th overall in social media engagement among the top 150 athletes. She uses all platforms to connect with her fanbase, share her experiences, and navigate the pressures of growing up under the public eye. As the second-most marketable teenager globally (after soccer star Lamine Yamal), her authentic use of social media resonates with a generation that values relatability and transparency.
Beginning her racing career in karting in the Philippines, Bustamante was competing nationally by age 6 – a testament to her resilience and skill development within a sport largely unfamiliar to her home country. She expresses gratitude for the opportunities she has been given and the support she has received throughout her career, reinvesting endorsement earnings from globally known brands to finance her racing activities. Bustamante’s inclusion on the list acknowledges her marketability and potential for global brand partnerships. This marketability is driven by her unique story, commitment to the sport, and genuine connection with her millions of fans – indicating a strong future in her sport.
Since it began collecting data in 2010, the SportsPro 150MM list evaluates athletes based on criteria including brand strength, total addressable market, and economics. The marketability scores intend to assess which athletes maintain the best personal branding, overall audience engagement, and estimated socioeconomic market value and worth. It not only serves as an assessment of any given talent’s worth as an ambassador for their respective sport, but also as an indicator of how attractive they present themselves to collaborate with prospective sponsors and brands.
Bustamante is currently an ambassador for McLaren Racing, Google Chrome and Google Pixel, Cisco, Logitech G, EA Sports, Lance East Exotics, Bell Helmets, and Quadrant, as well as brand endorsements in 2024 with Pirelli, Sephora, Charlotte Tilbury, Marsatta Chocolate, Qatar Airways, GoTyme Bank, Bein Sports Asia, Upper Deck, and Alpinestars.
You can read Bianca’s full interview here.
“I’m thrilled to learn that I have been ranked as SportsPro Media’s 64th most marketable athlete of 2024. Being listed among other iconic athletes and motorsports talents is something I did not imagine when I began racing as a young kid. It’s amazing to see all the hard work turn into results like these – so I can continue to further develop my skills as a driver and further develop my brand for sponsorship opportunities.
I want to thank and show my appreciation to everyone – especially my sponsors, partners and fans who have given me this opportunity to race and allow me to do what I love.”
