Having secured 245 points, propelling her to the top of the standings, Last Word On Motorsport will explore Abbi Pulling and her dominance in F1 Academy.
Abbi Pulling is quickly becoming a notable figure in motorsport, largely due to her participation in F1 Academy. The 21-year-old has demonstrated both her skill and ambition as a rising talent in motorsport, competing in the second year of the F1 Academy series and racing in British Formula 4 this year.
Pulling has been racing in cars since 2018 and made her British F4 debut in 2020. She joined the W Series – an all-female single-seater racing championship that ran between 2019 and 2022 – midway through the 2021 campaign, later returning for its final season, where she finished an impressive P4 in the standings.
Her success in the W Series led to an opportunity with Alpine. In 2023, she became a full-time member of the Alpine Academy. Pulling’s talent shone through in the inaugural F1 Academy season, where she earned seven podiums and secured a top finish in the championship.
As of Round 5 this season, Abbi Pulling has dominated, winning all but three races. Doriane Pin of Mercedes claimed victory in Round 1 at Jeddah, Chloe Chambers of Haas took the win in Round 2 at Barcelona, and Pin secured another win in Round 2 at Zandvoort. This was stripped from her and given to Pulling, however.
Abbi Pulling has been promoted to Race 2 winner after Doriane Pin was given a twenty second time penalty for taking the chequered flag twice.#F1Academy pic.twitter.com/ab52Eptzyh
— F1 Academy (@f1academy) March 9, 2024
Pulling’s commanding performance has earned her 245 points, placing her firmly at the top of the championship standings. With two race weekends remaining – comprising two races each in Qatar and Abu Dhabi – she holds a 95-point lead over Doriane Pin, who sits in second place. Ferrari’s Maya Weug is third with 120 points, while Chloe Chambers is fourth with 103 points. It is likely that she will not be caught up.
That winning feeling 🤩
The moment Abbi Pulling sailed across the line in Singapore Race 1, to take her 6th win of the season 🏁#F1Academy #SingaporeGP pic.twitter.com/K46fjsHgcX
— F1 Academy (@f1academy) September 21, 2024
Her impressive performance has many, including herself, discussing her future with or without Alpine.
The Future
Speaking to Forbes, Pulling discussed the possibility of joining the Formula 1 grid one day:
“I’d love to see a woman racing in Formula 1. It’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when. I want to be a part of that movement—promoting women in motorsport, changing the narrative, and showing that we can compete against the guys.”
In 2023, F1 Academy champion Marta Garcia graduated from the series to FRECA and also joined the Iron Dames, racing alongside Doriane Pin.
While it remains unconfirmed if the 2024 F1 Academy champion will follow a similar trajectory, Pulling stands out as a strong candidate for Alpine to consider for F3. The team has been backing Sophia Floersch since 2023, with Van Amersfoort Racing joining the partnership this year.
Pulling’s experience in F4 speaks for itself, with 3 British F4 podiums, including 1 win this season. Additionally, Alpine recently signed Jack Doohan – formerly an F3 and F2 competitor of theirs – to replace Esteban Ocon in F1 starting in 2025. The team’s academy has a solid track record of success, and Pulling could certainly be part of this also.
However, F3 boss Bruno Michel says that “it’s a little bit too early” for them to move up. A Formula E testing could be in her future during the all-female test session ahead of the 2024/25 season.
The Past
The daughter of a former motorbike racer, Pulling began her racing career at 8. She earned two British Championship titles by the time she was 13. This led her to begin car racing at 16, beginning with Ginetta. She soon switched to single-seaters in British F4 and became the first female driver to top the podium in a F4 race.
After the exposure she received from the W Series, she became the first woman to drive a Formula 1 car in Saudi Arabia alongside Aseel Al Hamad.
“Driving an F1 car for the first time is special but doing it with an important message behind it, a female driving an F1 car in Saudi Arabia, when only 3 years prior, women there couldn’t drive domestically on the roads or get a driver’s license. That was really special.”
Challenges
Like many, her career has not been without significant challenges she has weathered.
In 2021, she had to step away from mixed-gender racing after she ran out of funding. The W Series provided her and many other women in motorsport with a lifeline by offering full funding.
However, the F1 Academy replaced the series, which ran into administration due to financial difficulties. F1 Academy was launched by Formula 1 and retired driver Susie Wolff, to help young female drivers develop their skills. It also aims to prepare them to progress to higher levels of motorsport, on and off the track.
“These initiatives are critical for building female talent in motorsport.
“They’ve provided the exposure and funding I needed to keep moving forward and remain in Alpine’s program.”
Conclusion
As the current face of F1 Academy, Abbi Pulling is proving that there is a spot for women in motorsport. The Briton also aims to redefine how we view this label, as per an interview with Forbes.
“I don’t see the need for a separate women’s Formula 1. Motorsport is unique in that we can compete equally with men. The key is creating more opportunities for women to race at the highest levels”
As her talent meets her determination, we imagine this is something she will succeed in alongside her peers.
