‘Motorsport is so unpredictable’ – Pulling concedes ‘anything can happen’ as she chases title glory

Standings leader Abbi Pulling is determined to keep her momentum going after another successful weekend in Zandvoort but knows anything can happen in her quest for F1 ACADEMY glory.

Pulling has taken victory in five out of eight races, with only PREMA Racing’s Doriane Pin and Campos Racing’s Chloe Chambers managing to beat her to the top step of the podium in 2024.

After winning Race 1 in Zandvoort and taking third place in Race 2, the Alpine driver now has a lead of 71 points over Pin, her nearest rival. With three rounds still to go, Pulling could theoretically win in Singapore if she can increase that gap to 113 points by the end of the weekend.

Looking back on her dominant Race 1 victory in Zandvoort, where she crossed the line over seven seconds ahead of second-placed Nerea Martí, Pulling called the race “incredible”.

“I got off the line and didn’t really look back from then onwards,” she said. “It was a great race and the team did a great job with the car – Rodin Motorsport, can’t thank them enough.

“Race 2 I think we could’ve done the same thing if we got off the line the same as we did in Race 1, but a little mistake from me meant we lost the position. We definitely had the pace on the two cars ahead but it just wasn’t meant to be, which is a bit disappointing, but at the end of the day I’m still really happy.

“We’ve bridged a gap in the Standings, which is the absolute main thing. We know that we’ve still got the speed and it’s all about consistency. Every weekend if I can walk away with a trophy then I’ll be happy!”

In Race 2 Pulling lost out to an impressive PREMA performance as Pin and Maya Weug occupied P1 and P2, although she battled hard for second place throughout the 17-lap race.

“I saw (Weug) having a few moments of oversteer and going a bit wide in places, but I had the opposite issue as I was following her, so I had quite a lot of understeer,” Pulling explained. “Of course, if the opportunity presented itself, I would’ve been straightaway going for a move because I know I had the legs on her.

“It just didn’t happen today which is unfortunate, but I think I did what I could from the first lap onwards which is the main thing. It’s just about ironing out that race start.”

The Alpine driver’s next chance to return to the top step will come in Singapore as the series heads there for the first time, with the competitors facing the challenge of tackling the humid conditions and unforgiving street circuit.

“I’m so excited to go to Singapore,” Pulling said. “It’s an awesome track. It’s the first proper street circuit – obviously Jeddah and Miami were street circuits but they’re kind of left all year round, whereas Singapore is driven on. Cars are going over it, leaking fuel and fluid and whatever else.

“I’m doing quite a bit in a heat chamber, which is exciting. I don’t think it’ll be too bad, it’s more the waiting on the grid. You’re kind of sweating more before you start than when you end.

“Mentally, I’m going to make sure I’m relaxed. I was going to say have a holiday but I don’t have time to have a holiday! Maybe sit in the sun if there’s any sun – I’m going back to the UK so there’s probably none.

“To be honest, I’m not going to look too much at the Standings. At this stage obviously it’s a comfortable gap, but as I always say, motorsport is so unpredictable. Anything can go wrong, anything can happen.”