Formula 4 driver Bianca Bustamante is currently in trouble after liking a tweet that users have labeled to be ableist.
(PLGNN) - New McLaren recruit Bianca Bustamante is under fire after liking a tweet that online users have claimed to be ableist.
Bustamante recently gained massive online popularity after being signed by McLaren, and has reached over one million Instagram followers. She will be representing the team in the 2024 F1 Academy season.
Although just 18 years old, Bustamante has received a large amount of hate online, with many sexist comments being directed at her. On the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), one user posted a picture of Bustamante, and tagged the photo with the word "overrated". A fan was quick to defend her, and posted a reply which ended up being liked by Bustamante.
The tweet made by the fan, which has since been deleted, reads, "how can you say she's overrated when you have people who buy their way into the sport like autism stroll who have talent but if they didn't have daddy's money would be replaced instantly, like don't say overrated till she gets her shot".
The phrase "autism stroll" is a dig at Formula 1 Aston Martin driver Lance Stroll, who was called autistic by a French commentator a few years before. Online users believe that using the term autism in this context to criticize Stroll is ableist, as it paints autism in a negative light. The tweet also mentions Stroll having "daddy's money" due to his father, Lawrence Stroll, owning the Aston Martin F1 team.
Bustamante was quick to apologize, and posted to X: "I truly deeply apologise. 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. I would never in a million years support Ableism at any level, let alone support an Ableist tweet against a fellow driver. 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. I hope the racing community understands this is 100% an accident, my sincerest apologies for this big mistake."
