F1 Academy crown for Abbi

Abbi Pulling continued her season-long domination of F1 Academy racing by clinching the championship title in Qatar.
The Gosberton race ace finished second in the only race of the weekend to pick up the drivers’ crown.
It meant she chalked up seven wins, seven pole positions and 11 podium places, with three races in hand. It also guarantee her a seat in the GB3 Championship for 2025 to continue her charge up through the gears to the big time.
All she had to do to win the title was avoid being outscored by more than 12 points by French driver Doriane Pin.
However, it proved tougher than expected in a race won by the Frenchwoman.
The Lincolnshire driver’s Rodin Motorsport car failed to qualify on the front row for the first time this year. Lining up third on the grid, Pulling threw everything into the opening stages and her gamble of a risky move on Spanish-born Maya Weug paid off.
Pulling told the F1 Academy website: “It’s just everything that I wanted. It’s amazing being champion but it’s all about next year for me. It’s a big relief off of my shoulders and I’ve worked so hard for this.
“The team have worked so hard for this and they deserve it so much. They’ve done everything that we’ve needed this year, they’ve given me everything that I’ve needed to do this. To do it in the fashion we have… I’m speechless.
“I put everything on the line in that first lap. I think that just shows how much fight I’ve got in me and how badly I wanted it.”
Pulling credited Rodin Motorsports efforts in helping to make her title dream a reality.
After wrapping up the title three races early, Pulling’s attention turns to beating her joint record with 2023 champion Marta García for the most wins in a season, alongside helping her Rodin Motorsport team in the Teams’ title fight.
The team sit 26 points adrift of Prema Racing and have only two races in the United Arab Emirates remaining to overtake them. Last weekend’s scheduled second race was cancelled because of barrier damage at the Lusail International Circuit.
Pulling takes to the Yas Island track this weekend for the final two races of the season.