Bustamante to race in Eurocup 3 Winter Series, Championship Series 2026 with Palou Motorsport 

MANILA: Filipino motorsport talent Bianca Bustamante will race in the Eurocup 3 Winter Series and Eurocup 3 Championship Series 2026 with Palou Motorsport. 

Per the Laguna-born racer, the move to sign with the Spanish racing outfit — founded by four-time IndyCar champion Alex Palou and his father, Ramon Palou — is yet another boon to her career. 

Of note, Palau Motorsport has inked a technical partnership with Prema Racing — the team with whom Bustamante secured two victories when she competed in the 2023 F1 Academy season. 

“I could not be more excited to announce the step up into Eurocup 3 with Palou Motorsport with the technical support of Prema Racing. Palou Motorsport has had some great achievements since its formation, including podiums and a maiden win last season, and its new partnership with Prema Racing — a team I know well from my time in F1 Academy — gives me confidence that we will work well together. Having that familiarity while learning a new car and new series will be really helpful as I prepare for the season ahead,” Bustamante was quoted as saying. 

“Eurocup-3 is definitely an exciting series to be a part of, attracting some very talented drivers and teams to the most challenging and renowned circuits in the world — and all with an exceptionally technically advanced car in the Dallara 326,” she added. 

Bustamante continued that 2025 was a big year for her and she feels more prepared to take on the new challenge. 

She also commented that her focus is on maximizing every opportunity, continuing to grow as a driver, and achieving good results to help make her way to Formula 3. 

To recall, Bustamante has gained quite the experience in the past few years, making her way from karting to the global stage, competing with top female athletes in what many would consider the pinnacle of motorsport. 

Here are her recent achievements: 

• F1 Academy Round 5 (in Moza, Italy)
• F1 Academy Round 2 (in Valencia, Spain)
• First Filipina to be included in the McLaren Driver Development Program
• Formula 4 UAE Championship (two top-10 finishes)
• W Series (Top Rookie in Driver Standings)
• W Series Scholarship Shootout (Academy Team winner)
• Philippines Driver of the Year (three times in karting)

Bustamante also appeared in various races, notably the BG3 Championships, Formula E, Formula 4, and USF Juniors. 

Other stories: MG PH donates P1-M to Bayani Scholarship Program Jetour Auto celebrates 2-M global sales milestone Tesla delivers 1.6-M units globally in 2025

Track weapon 

Bustamante will be competing in Eurocup 3 using the aforementioned Dallara 326, which is powered by a Toyota engine. 

According to Eurocup 3’s website, the Dallara 326 uses the Toyota TGE33 1.6-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine, prepared by Tom’s — the renowned Japanese engineering firm with over four decades of success in Super Formula, Super GT, and other major international championships. 

In addition, trackside maintenance will be managed by Engiser 101 — a specialized company based in Spain that focuses on powertrain solutions. 

The Dallara 326 will be equipped with the following transmission and electronics components: 

• Hewland gearbox 
• ZF-Sachs clutch 
• Cosworth electronic control unit 
• Cosworth steering wheel 

Ongoing technical partners for Eurocup 3, which will support the use of the Dallara 326, include: 

• Hankook 
• PFC Brakes 
• Ravenol Lubricants 
• ETS Racing Fuel 

Palou Motorsports 

Palou Motorsports was founded in 2023. In its inaugural season, the racing outfit earned three podium finishes and secured third place in the rookie championships in Eurocup 3. 

According to Palou Motorsports, the team has a state-of-the-art facility in Barcelona that offers cutting-edge racing technology and personalized coaching to equip its drivers with the skills and experience necessary to compete at the highest levels of motorsport. 

The inclusion of Bustamante in its roster for the upcoming Eurocup 3 season could prove beneficial for both parties. 

“We are really delighted to have Bianca join the team. Her experience in single-seaters, combined with her strong work ethic and ability to learn, gives us great confidence that together we can showcase Bianca’s full potential in the upcoming campaign,” Palau Motorsports Team Principal Ramon Palou stated. 

Eurocup 3 debut 

Bustamante’s Eurocup 3 debut will come next month. 

Listed below is the calendar of events for the said races: 

2026 Eurocup 3 Winter Series 

• Round 1 — Portimao, Portugal from February 20-22
• Round 2 — Jamara, Spain from February 27-March 1 
• Round 3 — Motorland, Spain from March 13-15

2026 Eurocup 3 Championship Series 

• Round 1 — Paul Ricard, France from May 1-3
• Round 2 — Portimao, Portugal from June 5-7 
• Round 3 — Imola, Italy from July 3-5 
• Round 4 — Monza, Italy from July 31-August 2 
• Round 5 — (venue to be confirmed) from August 8-9 
• Round 6 — Silverstone, United Kingdom from September 11-13
• Round 7 — Hungaroring, Hungary from October 23-25 
• Round 8 — Montmelo, Spain from November 6-8

Also read:

Bianca Bustamante shines with podium finish on F1 Academy debut

Bianca Bustamante headlines motorsport-themed event in SM MOA

Bustamante is McLaren Driver Development Program’s 1st female driver

Connect with us through our various social media pages:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ZigWheelsPhilippines

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zigwheelsph/

Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zigwheels

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ZigWheelsPhilippines/