Abbi Pulling clinched the F1 Academy title on Saturday after she finished second in the first race of the Losail round.
Pulling arrived in Qatar knowing that she needed just 18 points from the final two weekends in order to take the F1 Academy title, regardless of what chief rival Doriane Pin could achieve.
Beaten by both Mercedes-backed Pin and Ferrari representative Maya Weug in qualifying, Pulling lined up third on the grid on Saturday evening – the same place she will start from on Sunday. This was the first time that the Alpine junior had failed to qualify in the top two positions all season.
But this was rectified at Turn 2 in the race when, after a strong start, Pulling was able to sweep around the outside of Weug to snatch second place, where she remained to bank 18 points and the F1 Academy title despite finishing behind Pin.
“It’s been a tougher season than I think most think,” said the Briton. “Going into the year, I had no choice but to win.
“I’ve struggled financially in the past and to get the prize for next year – I know it’s so early to be talking about next year, but that makes me so happy, so incredibly proud.
“It wasn’t an easy race. I’m glad that I stuck it out at the start and pushed on.”
Asked if she felt relieved after making the pivotal pass on Weug in the opening exchanges, she added: “Not relieved, I had the adrenaline pumping and was like ‘right, it’s on’. I was like ‘Maya, you’re not coming past, sorry’. I really enjoyed that actually.”
Pulling has been a picture of consistency across the season, winning seven of the 10 races preceding the Qatar weekend.
The dominance came as somewhat of a surprise after Pin’s control over the opening weekend in Jeddah, one which would have seen the Frenchwoman take a double victory had it not been for a bizarre situation which saw her twice take the chequered flag in the second race of that event.
Remarkably, Pulling has a unique 100% record of finishing on the podium this term and has only dropped out of the top two placings once – this in race two at Zandvoort.
Such has been her persistence in running at the front that the opening lap pass on Weug in Qatar was her first on-track pass of the season.
Qualifying has been an equally impressive affair, with seven pole positions.
With the title secure, Pulling receives a fully funded GB3 seat with Rodin Motorsport – the same team with which she has raced this season – as well as a 20-day testing programme in the same car to support her campaign.
“Honestly, it’s such a weight off my shoulders,” she said. “Every year, I go into the winter thinking: 'What am I going to do next?'
“It’s been me and my dad and recently, I’ve managed to get the likes of Alpine and Rodin really pushing me. They’ve all been in my corner and helped me get this far and that will just help with the next step.
“I’m going to go into next year as hungry as I was this year and really put the work in and make the most of the opportunity.”
