Abbi Pulling rounded off her season in brilliant fashion in America by earning a first ever W Series pole position and podium.
In just her third ever World Series event, the youngest driver in the field finished second and fourth in the two races at the Circuit of Americas, earning her enough points to finish in the top eight in the championship and earning automatic qualification for the full 2022 season.
Pulling’s F4 season ended prematurely due to financial issues, so she was grateful to be invited to America and race for the Puma Motorsport Team.
And she continued on her record of improving her performance in every round she’s raced following an eighth place on her debut at Silverstone and seventh last month in the Netherlands.
Pulling raised eyebrows straight away in America by putting her car on pole, a first in her entire career.
She told the W-Series she felt sick with adrenaline after a lap of 2:05.663 which put her at the front of the grid by seven one-hundredth of a second from compatriot Jamie Chadwick who went into the weekend level on points with Pulling’s mentor Alice Powell for the W-Series title.
Chadwick overtook Pulling in the first corner of Saturday’s race one on her way to a comfortable win while Pulling clocked the fastest lap of the race and was running third until she ran wide at the end of the penultimate lap allowing Powell to take third.
Pulling only had to wait until the next day for that first podium however in front of 140,000 racing fans.
Her second best time in qualifying led to her being second on the grid, and although she remained close to Chadwick throughout, it was the 23-year-old who closed out the win and seal the championship title.
A brilliant second though was a fantastic result for the Gosberton teenager.
She said: “I didn’t quite believe it when I crossed the line.”
“I’m gutted that I couldn’t put a bit more pressure on Jamie [Chadwick] but she just had the legs on me and I was maintaining the gap behind.
“Emma [Kimiläinen] was trying to put pressure on me, but I kept my head pretty composed and made sure that the tyres lasted the whole race because that’s what I struggled with yesterday – I learnt a lot from that race and took it into this one.
“I didn’t expect to be here this year, so to have been at three race meetings and get into the top eight in the championship is very special. I wanted to get in the top ten of the championship so finishing seventh has exceeded all of my expectations. This weekend has been one to remember.
“As happy as I am about my result, I’m really gutted for Alice [Powell] and how the championship fight ended for her. I wish that she didn’t have the problems she had at the start of the weekend, and I know how she must be feeling right now.
“She’s given me so much support throughout the year and I wouldn’t be standing here now if it wasn’t for her.
“She’s taught me all I know.”
Pulling has certainly impressed this season.
Dave Ryan, the W series racing director said: “We knew Abbi was good. We had an agreement with her British F4 team earlier in the year that we wouldn’t give her a drive if it compromised them.
“I’m very pleased that we honoured that and it was only when she had to withdraw from that championship that we were able to, with a clear conscience, put her into this championship.”
“She’s a good young driver and she’s shown that here.”
