(UPDATE 2) For the second time, the Philippine national anthem was played to mark another career milestone for Filipina F1 Academy driver Bianca Bustamante.

After her historic race victory in Valencia, Spain, Bustamante added another win under her belt as she emerged fastest in Race 3 in Monza on Sunday.

It was a back-to-back podium placement for the young racer as she picked up a P2 finish in Race 2, a comeback from two rocky rounds in Barcelona, Spain and Zandvoort, Netherlands.

“It's Monza, anything can happen,” Bustamante said prior to what would be a thrilling race weekend.

Starting from P2 in Race 3, she was in full-on attack mode as she engaged in a wheel-to-wheel battle with pole sitter Abbi Pulling of Rodin Carlin team.

She snagged the lead about halfway into the 14-lap race, and finally secured a clear view of the chequered flag under safety car conditions to give her team PREMA Racing its second home race triumph for this round.

“Today in Monza we won something much greater than just a race. I achieved one of the [dreams] of [7-year-old] Bia to win in her dream track with her Italian dream team in a red car. Just wow,” she said in a social media post.

In Race 2, the 18-year-old racer qualified P9 in the reverse-order grid and fought her way up to P2 come Lap 5 into the 10-lap race of the Autodromo Nazionale Monza track in the Italian soil.

A tight battle for the race lead ensued between Bustamante, ART Grand Prix’s Léna Bühler and Carrie Schreiner, and Pulling.

Bustamante would later on get close to victory, but had to concede to Bühler and settle for second place.

“Truly feeling the pure and raw emotion of driving, after a strong start we kept making pass after pass and even battled for the lead down to the last lap. I’m honestly shocked and in tears, best race of my career so far,” she said of Race 2 in an Instagram post.

Her teammate Marta García won this round’s Race 1. Meanwhile, Bustamante DNF following a dangerous crash with ART Grand Prix's Chloe Grant.

She credited the halo for saving her life.

“Made 2 positions up in the start heading to T1, I was hit from behind and the car flew on top of me. Tires went over my head but the Halo saved my life today,” she shared on Instagram.

“Mentally I was destroyed, Monza is my favorite track and I was hungry to just race,” she later said.

Close to the finish line

This inaugural season of the all-female single seater race will conclude after two more rounds.

After post-race penalties were applied, she was promoted from 7th to 6th place in the running for the championship with 102 points. García is leading with 190.

Bustamante had a stellar debut when she finished P2 in Race 1 of the first round held in Spielberg, Austria in April.

• F1 Academy: Bianca Bustamante gets podium in inaugural all-female race

She then made history as the first Filipina driver to win an F1 Academy race during Round 2 in Valencia, Spain in May.

• Bianca Bustamante makes 'herstory' for PH in F1 Academy:

Bustamante is determined to finish strong and hopeful to secure a top spot in the driver standings.

“The first half of the F1 Academy series has honestly been an emotional rollercoaster. With only three races to go in the series, I'm determined more than ever to secure a top spot in the standings before the season ends,” she said prior to the weekend race in Monza.

“Despite being overcome with challenges in the last two race weekends, I want to keep my focus on growth and take steps forward,” she added.

Round 6 will take place in Le Castellet, France in July. The series will close in Austin, U.S. in October.

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