In a jaw-dropping climax to an already exhilarating season, Abbi Pulling seized the F1 Academy title on Saturday, cementing her place in racing history with a nail-biting second-place finish at Losail. Arriving in Qatar, Pulling only needed 18 points to secure her dream, but what followed was nothing short of a dramatic sporting spectacle that left fans on the edge of their seats.
Pulling knew the stakes—18 points from the final two weekends would guarantee her the crown, no matter what her rival, the formidable Doriane Pin, had up her sleeve. The tension escalated as Pulling was beaten in qualifying by both Mercedes-backed Pin and Ferrari’s own Maya Weug, leaving her in an unfamiliar third position on the grid for Saturday’s race—the first time all season the Alpine junior had failed to crack the top two in qualifying.
But champions rise when it matters most. As the lights went out, Pulling unleashed her talent at Turn 2, executing a breathtaking sweep around Weug to snatch the critical second place. From that point on, she held her nerve and held her position, banking the exact 18 points she needed and claiming the title in style, despite finishing behind her fierce competitor, Pin.
“It’s been a tougher season than I think most people realize,” Pulling confessed after the race, visibly emotional. “Coming into the year, I had no choice but to win. Financially, I’ve struggled in the past, and the prize for next year means everything to me. It makes me so happy, so incredibly proud.”
The race itself was no cruise to victory. Pulling admitted she had to dig deep right from the start. “I’m glad I stuck it out at the beginning and pushed through,” she said, her voice steady but reflective.
When asked if she felt relieved after making the pivotal pass on Weug, Pulling’s response was brimming with adrenaline-fueled determination: “Not relieved. I had the adrenaline pumping and thought, ‘right, it’s on.’ I wasn’t going to let Maya come past me, no chance. Honestly, I really enjoyed that moment.”
Abbi Pulling’s journey to the top has been one defined by relentless consistency. She has dominated, securing seven wins from the 10 races preceding the Qatar finale, an incredible display of tenacity that left her rivals trailing. The only moment of uncertainty came during Pin’s dominant opening weekend in Jeddah, where the Frenchwoman looked unbeatable, even taking the chequered flag twice in a bizarre turn of events during the second race.
Yet, Pulling never wavered. She kept her foot on the pedal, boasting an unmatched record of finishing on the podium in every race this season—an astounding 100% success rate. Even when she failed to make the top two, such as in race two at Zandvoort, she remained unflappable.
Her precision in qualifying was just as impressive, racking up seven pole positions, underscoring her unparalleled speed and focus. The Losail pass on Weug? Remarkably, it was her first on-track overtake of the entire season—a testament to her unyielding ability to lead from the front.
With her title in hand, Pulling’s future now shines even brighter. She’s secured a fully funded GB3 seat with Rodin Motorsport—the very team she raced with this year—alongside an extensive 20-day testing program to prepare for her upcoming campaign.
“Honestly, it’s such a weight off my shoulders,” she said, a broad smile breaking across her face. “Every year, I go into the winter wondering, ‘What am I going to do next?’ But now, with the support from Alpine, Rodin, and my dad, who’s been by my side through it all, I can finally focus on the next chapter.”
And Pulling is not planning to rest on her laurels. “I’m going into next year as hungry as I was this year. I’m ready to put in the work and make the most of this opportunity,” she declared, her eyes ablaze with ambition.
Abbi Pulling’s triumph isn’t just a story of talent; it’s one of perseverance, resilience, and a refusal to be anything less than the best. And as the racing world looks toward the future, one thing is clear: this is just the beginning for Britain’s new motorsport sensation.