Former F1 Academy Champion Abbi Pulling is setting her sights on a new challenge as she gears up to compete in the GB3 Championship. The young motorsport star, who snatched up nine victories out of 15 races in the F1 Academy, has her eyes firmly set on her performance as she gets ready to step into a new competitive arena.
Pulling’s impressive winning streak in the F1 Academy not only earned her a coveted place with Rodin Motorsport, but also propelled her to the role of ambassador for the team based in the UK and New Zealand. This new partnership has led to an end of her three-year association with Alpine’s academy.
GB3 Championship, a UK-based series, is increasingly capturing the attention of motorsport aficionados, with many of its drivers progressing to compete in FIA-affiliated series. In a recent conversation with Motorsport Week, Pulling underscored the magnitude of the opportunity before her.
The young driver expressed her excitement about the GB3 Championship, acknowledging that her F1 Academy win, which secured her a place in the championship, was a dream come true. Pulling noted the championship’s role in shaping promising Formula 2 drivers such as Luke Browning, and also highlighted the upgraded cars featuring enhanced speed, downforce, DRS, and other advanced technologies, which bring the competitors closer to the FIA F3 spec car and prepare them for future opportunities in F3 and F2.
Pulling has already hit the ground running in her preparations for the upcoming season, which kicks off at Silverstone on April 26-27. During the recent pre-season testing at Snetterton, she secured fourth and sixth positions in two separate sessions, outpacing Bianca Bustamante, her fellow F1A alumni, by over a second and finishing just a few tenths behind her teammate Alex Ninovic.
Despite her success in British Formula 4 and her growing profile, Pulling is aware that her participation in a mixed-gender championship will attract heightened attention. However, she remains unflustered, choosing to keep her focus on her performance and her contributions to the team.
Pulling, who also made waves with the fastest lap at the all-women’s Formula E test in Madrid, expressed her interest in exploring future opportunities in Formula E. The test, which took place at Circuito Jarama in November of last year, saw Pulling top the time charts, with her lap time just 3.5s shy of the fastest time of the week, set by Mitch Evans.
Pulling credited her ties with Alpine for securing her a seat with Nissan for the test, and expressed her gratitude to the team for the opportunity. She also indicated her interest in pursuing further opportunities in the Formula E paddock, whether with Nissan or another team.
Formula E is planning a second women’s test this autumn, which could provide Pulling with another opportunity to shine. But for the time being, her focus is on the GB3 Championship as she steps onto a new stage in her motorsport career.