It’s hard to find a driver who had a better season than Abbi Pulling. The 21-year-old Briton burst onto the scene earlier this year winning 7 of the first 11 races in the all-female F1 Academy, wrapping up her driver's championship this past weekend in Qatar before the series finale in Abu Dhabi this weekend. As if that wasn't enough, Pulling made history in May by becoming the first woman to win a race in British F4.
“I’ve been really enjoying my time this season,” said Pulling. “When you’re at the top of the table, you’re not going to be complaining!”
Free time is hard to come by these days for Pulling, with most of her calendar booked up with simulator or fitness sessions. That may actually be the secret to her overwhelming success.
“The workouts are pretty nonstop, I will admit,” Pulling said. “But it’s a good thing, really, because in motorsport, you’re always training for the next step. I’m in F4 at the moment, but I’m making sure I’m ready for the opportunity to get into F3.”
And although she’s been enjoying all of her victories and podiums, she’s even more pleased to be part of something bigger than herself.
Motorsport caught up with Pulling to talk about her powerhouse season, the awkwardness of neck training in public, and the driver equivalent of racket-tossing.
What’s a typical week look like for you, from a fitness perspective?
Yesterday, unfortunately, I didn’t get a workout session in, since I was making content. I’m a little annoyed by that, but you need a rest day once in a while.
Today, I’m driving the simulator to get in some more technical training, and then tomorrow I’m going to a university to do heat chamber training, then a gym session after that on both Thursday and Friday. And often I’ll do some cardio on the weekend.
