Abbi Pulling Secures F1 Academy Title for Second Time in a Week

British driver Abbi Pulling, who has received support from the French Formula 1 team Alpine since 2022, secured the 2024 F1 Academy title once more on Friday in Abu Dhabi. This championship had been withdrawn earlier in the week. Pulling, 21, achieved this by obtaining all three pole positions. She had initially marked her championship win in Qatar the previous week. However, the cancellation of the second race at the Lusail International Circuit due to barrier repairs led organisers to incorporate an additional third race into the Yas Marina schedule. Consequently, her 83-point advantage over Mercedes’ Doriane Pin was insufficient to guarantee the title mathematically, given that 84 points remained available at the seventh round in Abu Dhabi. Within this all-female racing series, competitors earn 25 points for a victory, two for securing pole position, and one for achieving the fastest lap. Pulling obtained all three pole positions for the season finale on Friday, which resulted in her being declared the champion for the second occasion within a single week. Following her post-qualifying interview, where she was referred to as “a champion,” Pulling stated, “It’s nice to hear those words.” Her championship victory includes the award of a fully-funded season in the GB3 Championship, a single-seater racing series based in the United Kingdom. Pulling further commented, “It’s been a tougher season than most think,” and elaborated, “At the beginning of the year, I had no choice but to win. I’ve struggled financially in the past, but 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.”