By Darwin Zialcita for News Moto
Valencia, Spain – November 1, 2025

In a landmark showcase of female talent in electric racing, 14 elite women drivers hit the Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Valencia for Formula E and the FIA's second-ever All-Women's Test on October 31. This pre-season event doubled the track time from last year to a full six hours across two sessions, allowing participants to pilot the cutting-edge GEN3 Evo cars and gather invaluable data ahead of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship's Season 12.

American Chloe Chambers led the way for Mahindra Racing, posting the quickest lap of 1:22.767s in the afternoon session, drawing on her F1 Academy experience to edge out the competition. Britain's Abbi Pulling, representing the Nissan Formula E Team and last year's test pacesetter, slotted in just 0.064 seconds behind in second. Rounding out the top three was the Philippines' own Bianca Bustamante for CUPRA KIRO, delivering a standout performance in her first time behind the wheel of a Formula E machine.

The test, woven into the championship's official pre-season program, went beyond speed—nine drivers matched official male drivers' sector times within tenths of a second, highlighting how crucial hands-on experience is for building proficiency in this high-tech series. Off-track, the women contributed to team engineering sessions, media engagements, and content creation, gaining a well-rounded immersion into professional motorsport life.

Bianca Bustamante: Electrifying the Track on Her Formula E Debut

At just 19, Bianca Bustamante is no stranger to breaking barriers, and her third-place time—0.770 seconds off Chambers' benchmark—cemented her as a force to watch in the all-electric arena. Fresh from a strong rookie season in GB3 with Elite Motorsport, where she's climbing the ranks after triumphs in F1 Academy and the W Series, Bustamante's Valencia outing for CUPRA KIRO as a development driver was a calculated step up.

Post-session, the Filipina driver was reflective yet optimistic: “I think we left quite a lot of potential on the table in the morning session. I couldn’t really optimise new tyres and made a mistake here and there, so all in all I was just happy to put a lap together.” She credited her team's meticulous prep—simulator runs, onboard footage, and track insights—for smoothing her adaptation. “There’s still much more in there... with more running in this car and more laps and working more with the team I will definitely be able to get my pace up there. But all in all, so, so happy—the team has done brilliantly... and I had so much fun which is the important bit.”

Bustamante's result, ahead of established names like Alice Powell (fourth for Envision Racing), Ella Lloyd (fifth, her teammate), Jamie Chadwick (sixth for Jaguar TCS Racing), and Tatiana Calderón (seventh for Citroën Racing), has sparked widespread admiration. As the first Filipina at this elite level, her lap times are fueling dreams for the next generation of Southeast Asian racers.

Social Media Buzz: Fans and Teams Rally Behind Bustamante's Valencia Breakthrough

The online world didn't hold back in celebrating Bustamante's test. On X, Indonesian Formula E outlet Formula Gledek recapped the session's close top three—Chambers, Pulling, and Bustamante—marking the end of Valencia's pre-season activities and hyping the upcoming São Paulo E-Prix on December 6. Broader web coverage echoed the excitement, with GB3's official site praising her and Pulling's "impressive results" in the women's test.

Instagram was abuzz too, with Formula E's feed dropping reels on the "incredible progress" and overall classifications, spotlighting Bustamante's +0.770s mark in graphics that went viral among fans. Her personal account (@racerbia) shared a behind-the-scenes snap from October 30 in Valencia, captioned with pre-test anticipation and tagged to FIA Formula E—drawing likes, cheers, and comments like "Laban, Bianca! Representing PH on the global stage." The chatter underscores the test's ripple effect, building a vibrant community around women in racing.

Driving Change: Formula E's Commitment to Inclusivity

This all-women's test is a cornerstone of Formula E's strategy to level the playing field, as CEO Jeff Dodds noted: “This is only the beginning of our plans, and I’m excited for what the future holds.” The session's data will sharpen teams for the season opener, while the drivers' growth—evident in Chambers' "very positive day" and Pulling's race sim gains—promises fiercer competition ahead.

As Season 12 revs up, talents like Bustamante are charging toward the grid. In an era of electric innovation, her Valencia laps prove: the charge for equity in motorsport is just getting started.

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