INTRODUCING ABBI PULLING: The Alpine driver on singing, being a chatterbox and when she ‘drove with one arm’

Back for a second shot at the title, Abbi Pulling started off on the right foot in Jeddah. Leading the Drivers’ Standings after the opening round, it’s about time we got to know more about the Alpine driver.

Pulling is here to give us the lowdown on her ambitions for the 2024 campaign, how she managed to break her wrist and still finish a kart race and why you’ll probably catch the British racer belting out some tunes in the paddock.

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN RACING CARS FOR?

“I've been racing cars since I was 16, but I've been racing in general from go-karting since I was 8, so quite a while.”

WHAT’S YOUR RACING NUMBER THIS YEAR AND WHY DID YOU PICK IT?

“My racing number this year is actually #9 and it has no significance to me, other than it fits into my logo perfectly.”

DO YOU REMEMBER THE MOMENT YOU FIRST WANTED TO BE A PROFESSIONAL RACER?

“I actually don't remember when it first clicked that I wanted to be a professional. It was probably when I won championships in the British Karting Championship. I was a bit like ‘okay, what’s the next thing now?’ That’s when you get into cars, it gets a bit more serious and bigger, and gets a lot more people involved.”

WHAT DOES RACING FEEL LIKE TO YOU?

“Racing is a huge rush. It takes a lot of concentration, it’s something to put all of your mental capacity into and I think that’s something I really enjoy. Also, just the friends and the people that you meet, and the lessons you learn in it as well I think are the things that I love about the sport.”

DO YOU HAVE ANY PARTY TRICKS OR HIDDEN TALENTS?

“I feel like I had something once and I was like ‘that’s what I need to say is my hidden talent’ and now I’ve not got it! The only thing that I can do is this thing with my hands and I can make a noise, but it might not work the first time. It might sound just like a little fart (blows into cupped hands to make a whistling noise), I’ve not done this in years. I don’t even know what it is. It could be a bird, it could be someone doing a weird call, it could be anything!”

DESCRIBE YOUR PRE-RACE RITUAL AND DO YOU HAVE ANY SUPERSTITIONS?

“I don't have any superstitions, but I do kind of have a ritual. I do a lot of boxing; I punch some boxing pads and also just have a good time. Get my heart rate up, listen to some music and sing awfully to some 80s music and some modern stuff as well.”

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ARE YOU THE TYPE OF PERSON TO SING IN THE CAR?

“When I started karting when I was eight years old, to concentrate I actually did sing in my helmet. I don’t do that anymore, I got out of that! I do sing in my road car, not on my own. Normally, if I’ve got a passenger, we’ll have a little sing along and trackside, I just love music.”

WHAT’S THE HIGHLIGHT OF YOUR CAREER SO FAR?

“I would say my highlights have been joining the Alpine Academy and driving the F1 car in Saudi Arabia. I don’t think much tops that really, other than winning championships and so on.”

IF YOU HAD A DINNER PARTY WITH THREE GUESTS FROM THE 2024 GRID, WHO WOULD YOU PICK AND WHY?

“Nerea Martí straight away, I love Nerea. Jess Edgar my teammate, love her as well. She’s a little bit quieter than Nerea, but Nerea tells me to slow down because she can’t understand as I speak too quickly sometimes. So, I think it will even itself out there. Jessica Hawkins as well, because she’s looking after Tina Hausmann, the Aston Martin driver.”

WHERE IS YOUR FAVOURITE CIRCUIT AND WHY?

“I’ve got a few favourite circuits. In the UK, I really love Oulton Park and Brands Hatch. But on the calendar this year with F1 ACADEMY, it’s Singapore. I just can’t wait to go back to Singapore, it’s really cool.”

IS THERE A FACT ABOUT YOU THAT OTHER PEOPLE MIGHT NOT KNOW?

“I’m quite an open book to be honest. I broke my wrist when I was little, a fun little fact. I was go-karting, broke my wrist and I finished the race. It happened on Lap 1 and it really hurt, but I still finished. I think that is a testament to how committed I am, I drove with one arm the whole race.”

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IF YOU COULD RACE AGAINST ONE DRIVER PAST OR PRESENT, WHO WOULD IT BE?

“I would race against Valentino Rossi because I think it would just be fun. I think there’d be a bit of competitiveness, but it would just be a fun time.”

WHAT IS YOUR AMBITION FOR THE 2024 SEASON?

“My ambition is always to be winning and I always want to be at the front. My ambition this year is just to keep going at that goal, just do the best that I can. I think as long as I come away from the year feeling fulfilled and that I’ve left nothing on the table that’d be nice.”