Pulling finishes Abu Dhabi in-season testing on top on Day 3

Abbi Pulling went six for six as she swept the board on the final day of F1 ACADEMY’s in-season test in Abu Dhabi.

In the quicker of the two sessions, the Alpine driver recorded a 1:56.526 in the morning, putting her two tenths clear of Doriane Pin and Hamda Al Qubaisi. Her form was maintained into the afternoon, clocking in a 1:56.778 to conclude running at the Yas Marina Circuit.

MORNING

It was Aston Martin’s Tina Hausmann who got the first time of the day on the board, but the field quickly picked up the pace during the opening 15 minutes.

Nerea Martí and Maya Weug both put their respective Campos Racing and PREMA Racing cars top early on, before Hamda Al Qubaisi set four consecutive personal bests to go fastest on a 1:57.146.

Pin then leapt up into the P1 spot, lowering her personal best from a 1:56.905 to a 1:56.783, and slotting her Mercedes-liveried car 0.142s ahead of Hamda Al Qubaisi.

Rodin Motorsport’s Pulling then stamped her mark on the session, clocking in a 1:56.778 to go quickest of all. She had more speed left in the tank on her Qualifying runs, strengthening her hold on the top of timing sheets by over two tenths.

As attentions turned towards race simulations and with the final 15 minutes of the morning’s running dedicated to practice starts, nobody could trouble Pulling’s best effort. Pin narrowly held on to second, separated by 0.008s to Hamda Al Qubaisi in third. Chloe Chambers was the leading Campos driver, moving herself into fourth ahead of Martí.

Lia Block secured the sixth-fastest time followed by Weug, Bianca Bustamante, Carrie Schreiner and Jessica Edgar completed the top 10 in the #17 American Express car.

AFTERNOON

With an unused set of Pirelli tyres still to play with, Pulling was the only car on track inside the first 30 minute. She set the early pace at 1:58.668 and shaved it down to 1:57.616 by the end of her 10-lap opening stint.

Hamda Al Qubaisi then led the way for the majority of the afternoon running, going quickest on a 1:57.558. The Emirati racer improved further to a 1:57.200, whilst Pulling got to within 0.025s on her second stint.

There was one last flurry of action with 20 minutes left on the clock. Pulling restored her advantage out front, setting a new benchmark time of 1:57.183. She then punched in the only sub-1:57s time of the afternoon, with a 1:56.778 to go 0.263s clear of Hamda Al Qubaisi.

Pin finished the session four tenths adrift in third, whilst strong late efforts from Block and Amna Al Qubaisi promoted them to the top five. Chambers rounded out the day in sixth ahead of Edgar, Bustamante, Schreiner and Martí.

With the conclusion of running at the Yas Marina Circuit, attentions now turn to the second in-season test ahead of the final two rounds of the 2024 campaign. The field will head to the Lusail International Circuit in Qatar from November 12-14.