{"id":37880,"date":"2025-11-05T13:18:40","date_gmt":"2025-11-05T18:18:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/motorsports\/?p=37880"},"modified":"2025-11-05T13:18:40","modified_gmt":"2025-11-05T18:18:40","slug":"f1-academy-champion-abbi-pulling-continues-to-impress-as-she-eyes-future-formula-e-seat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/motorsports\/2025\/11\/05\/f1-academy-champion-abbi-pulling-continues-to-impress-as-she-eyes-future-formula-e-seat\/","title":{"rendered":"Abbi Pulling Eyes Formula E Drive"},"content":{"rendered":"

Abbi Pulling\u2019s rise through the ranks of motorsport took another step in Valencia last week, as the Nissan Formula E Team\u2019s rookie and simulator driver set the second-fastest time in both sessions of Formula E\u2019s all-women\u2019s test.<\/span><\/p>\n

The reigning F1 Academy champion<\/a> completed 89 laps of the Circuit Ricardo Tormo in the team\u2019s Nissan e-4ORCE 05, producing a best lap of a 1:22.831 to solidify both her pace and adaptability in one of motorsport\u2019s most complex and demanding single-seaters.<\/span><\/p>\n

It was Pulling\u2019s third official outing for the team and part of Formula E\u2019s second dedicated women\u2019s test, which featured 14 drivers and offered six hours of track time \u2014 double that of last year\u2019s event. The 22-year-old British driver\u2019s performance reaffirmed her position as possibly one of the category\u2019s most promising new-generation drivers.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"
Abbi Pulling of Great Britain driving the (23) Nissan e-4ORCE 05 during Formula E Women’s Pre-Season Testing at Ricardo Tormo Circuit on October 31, 2025 in Valencia, Spain. (Photo by Alex Bierens de Haan\/LAT Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Making her mark<\/b><\/h2>\n

Pulling was quick to establish herself near the top of the timing screens in both sessions, her best lap just 0.064s shy of Mahindra\u2019s Chloe Chambers. But her focus, as she explained, went beyond lap times.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m really pleased with the way the test went, and to set the second-quickest time in both sessions is a strong result,\u201d<\/em> Pulling <\/span>told<\/span><\/a> Formula E<\/span><\/i>. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMy target was to break into the 1:22s and I\u2019m pleased we did that, along with completing our entire program. One of my aims after my previous outings in the car was to improve my technique during race simulation in terms of energy management, which I definitely achieved.\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Energy management was a particular focus for the team\u2019s work on Friday. Pulling balanced that with a mix of long runs, performance laps and pit stop training.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a physically demanding track,\u201d she said. \u201cBut we made good progress as a team, and I hope what we did today will be beneficial for the squad moving forwards. I feel more comfortable in the car every time I drive, and it\u2019s been great to be here with the team in Valencia as I continue my development.\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Nissan\u2019s confidence grows<\/b><\/h4>\n

For Nissan, the Valencia test capped off a productive week following four days of official pre-season running with Oliver Rowland and Norman Nato. Team principal Tommaso Volpe said Pulling\u2019s effort was a continuation of the progress she\u2019s made since joining the program earlier this year.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a very productive day, and we\u2019re pleased with Abbi\u2019s performance and all the work she put in,\u201d<\/em> Volpe <\/span>said<\/span><\/a>. \u201cIt was her third outing in the car and she\u2019s making a lot of progress each time, which is great to see.\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

The test included Pit Boost practice for the team, as well as a focus on Abbi\u2019s technical performance in the car. Volpe also said Pulling\u2019s engineer feedback was insightful and useful for the team.<\/span><\/p>\n

Pulling\u2019s relationship with Nissan began through simulator work and development sessions, where her technical understanding and consistency caught the attention of the team\u2019s engineers. That collaboration has deepened through real-world testing opportunities, and her performances have given rise to growing speculation about whether a future full-time Formula E seat might be on the horizon.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"
Abbi Pulling of Great Britain and Nissan Formula E during Formula E Women’s Pre-Season Testing at Ricardo Tormo Circuit. (Photo by Simon Galloway\/LAT Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Pulling – \u201cIt\u2019s the pinnacle at the end of the day\u201d<\/b><\/h4>\n

Pulling said her experiences in Formula E have provided new motivation and perspective.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFormula E is something that is really attractive, and I\u2019d like to one day be a driver in this series,\u201d<\/em> she <\/span>told<\/span><\/a> Formula E<\/span><\/i>. \u201cIt\u2019s a World Championship, and it\u2019s the pinnacle at the end of the day.\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Although Pulling said discussions with Nissan have not arrived to that point yet, she sees those talks ahead on the horizon.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWith Nissan, we\u2019ve not discussed that far ahead yet, but we\u2019re working together to get to the point where I can go on and gather some experience and keep getting better, to open up that potential if I\u2019m able to perform,\u201d<\/em> Pulling said. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re giving me lots of support, and hopefully that can keep progressing in the future.\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Her recent results suggest she is doing exactly that. From topping the Madrid test to running within tenths of established Formula E pace in Valencia, Pulling has adapted quickly to the series\u2019 unique combination of electric powertrains, complex software systems and regenerative braking demands.<\/span><\/p>\n

Eyes on the future<\/b><\/h4>\n

Beyond the stopwatch, Pulling\u2019s growth reflects a broader change in the landscape of professional motorsport. The structure of Formula E\u2019s women\u2019s tests, with greater integration between development drivers and race teams, mirrors the pathway that enabled her own Nissan opportunity to take shape.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBeing more involved behind the scenes [at Nissan] is really valuable,\u201d<\/em> she said. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTests like this help build those relationships and potential relationships going forward. For me, that\u2019s how it formed with Nissan, and I\u2019ve learned so much working with them. It\u2019s a big operation.\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

As the team now shifts focus toward the 2025\u201326 ABB FIA Formula E<\/a> World Championship opener in S\u00e3o Paulo on December 6, Pulling\u2019s growing presence in the Nissan camp has not gone unnoticed. Her combination of speed, technical intelligence and composure in high-pressure test environments has reinforced her credentials as one of the sport\u2019s most versatile young drivers.<\/span><\/p>\n

Whether her next step comes within Formula E or further up the single-seater ladder, Pulling\u2019s trajectory continues to gather momentum \u2014 and, as she\u2019s proving, a happy Abbi is still a fast Abbi.<\/span><\/p>\n

Main photo: Alex Bierens de Haan\/LAT Images (Formula E Media Bank)<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Abbi Pulling\u2019s rise through the ranks of motorsport took another step in Valencia last week, as the Nissan Formula E Team\u2019s rookie and simulator driver set the second-fastest time in both sessions of Formula E\u2019s all-women\u2019s test. The reigning F1 Academy champion completed 89 laps of the Circuit Ricardo Tormo in the team\u2019s Nissan e-4ORCE […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5678,"featured_media":37901,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[27,496,2581],"class_list":["post-37880","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-formula-e","tag-formula-e","tag-nissan","tag-pulling"],"modified_by":"Jaden Diaz-Ndisang","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/motorsports\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37880","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/motorsports\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/motorsports\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/motorsports\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5678"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/motorsports\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=37880"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/motorsports\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37880\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":37904,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/motorsports\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37880\/revisions\/37904"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/motorsports\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/37901"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/motorsports\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=37880"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/motorsports\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=37880"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/motorsports\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=37880"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}