Interview

Pulling delighted after turning around FP1 struggles as she vows to stay 'grounded' on Miami potential

4 May 2024

It was a good day in the office for Abbi Pulling, as the Alpine driver ended Friday on a high by topping the second Free Practice session in Miami.

Although it might not have looked it from the timing sheets, Pulling says she and her Rodin Motorsport team put together a huge turnaround in between the two sessions. Despite finishing only 0.070s off of FP1 pace-setter Doriane Pin, the Briton wasn’t quite feeling completely in sync behind the wheel.

Providing some valuable feedback, the team were able to make the necessary tweaks and Pulling strengthened her hold on the top spot throughout FP2, finishing two tenths clear of Pin.

Reflecting on how the two sessions unfolded, she credited their efforts in getting the car right underneath her but is remaining cautious about setting expectations too high at this early stage.

“Amazing! We struggled little a bit in FP1 with the balance,” Pulling admitted. “I gave some comments to my engineer after that and with how I felt in the car, to still be P2 and such a small amount off, I was quite confident.

“Going into FP2 and coming out of it, the car felt mint. I was really, really happy with it — not really any complaints to be honest. Got on it straightaway and the track just kept getting better and better.

“A huge thank you to Rodin Motorsport and I’m really looking forward to seeing how the weekend plays out. I’m keeping grounded, it’s still a long weekend to go. We don’t get any points for Practice, so hopefully we can snag the front row tomorrow.”

Pulling finished FP2 fastest with a time of 1:59.237

Bringing some previous knowledge of the track thanks to her 2022 appearance in Miami, Pulling was naturally tipped for success going into the weekend. However, when asked about its value, she deemphasized its importance given the vastly different machinery and limited running.

“To be honest, I don’t think it was that much of a benefit me coming here in the past,” Pulling said. “It was only three 30-minute sessions, it was two years ago and it was in a completely different car. Obviously, it helps, but with the track time we had, it was only about 30 laps.

“It’s not like I knew it like the back of my hand and that it was yesterday. It was some time ago. Ended up being really good, I like the track!”

Adapting to the ever-changing track conditions will be a vital task this weekend, with Pulling noting how a different Formula 1 schedule to Round 1 in Jeddah is likely to shift how the track will evolve.

“Especially being a Sprint weekend, it makes it a little bit different, so it’ll be interesting to see how that plays out,” she explained. “From FP1 to FP2, the track had rubbered in quite a significant amount, so it was fun to kind of get on top of that and figure it out. Looking over the data now and seeing where we gain the time and so on and so forth.”

Pulling says she's targeting a spot on the front row in Qualifying

Feeling positive after FP2’s encouraging signs, Pulling is now turning her attention towards Qualifying on Saturday morning as she aims to keep hold of the lead of the Drivers’ Standings. With time being of the essence to set the grid, the Alpine driver knows how vital it will be to get a banker lap in early as a springboard for success.

“I think getting it in early and getting on it straightaway,” said Pulling. “The track is really grippy and the tyres are feeling really nice. We’ve found a really nice balance, so just send it.

“Of course, I think the goal is to maximise it as best I can, get as many points as possible. It would be nice to stay at the top of the Standings coming out of this weekend, but I’m not letting that weigh my shoulders down too much. I’m just going out, doing the best I can every time and hopefully, the results should come.”