Alpine Junior Driver Abbi Pulling says her double victory in a dominant Miami F1 Academy weekend is a ‘nice cushion’ ahead of Round 3 in Barcelona.
After sealing back-to-back victories at the Miami International Autodrome Pulling now leads the F1 Academy Drivers’ Championship over 30 points ahead of her closest competitor, the Iron Dame Doriane Pin.
Pulling told Motorsport Week: “It definitely feels very special. I mean, first double-winner of the year, so I’m on track at least. I can’t thank the team enough, again It’s been a remarkable performance from them.
“I’m so grateful to everyone who has put me in this position and given me the opportunity to be standing here now. Alpine, Rodin Motorsport are just really awesome.”
The British driver led Race 2 from the pole position, with a brief lock-up going into Turn 1 putting her under pressure from the McLaren Development Driver Bianca Bustamente.
She maintained her lead throughout the 13-lap race, going on to win five seconds ahead of Bustamente as she earned her maiden podium of the season.
“I could feel that I got a bad start off the line and I was a bit annoyed about that, but I knew that I had to be aggressive, kind of assertive and get my elbows out to maintain the position. I knew Bianca had new tyres on, so there was no way I was letting her pass on the first corner.
“The aero wash makes it quite hard to manage the tyre, so leading out of the first corner was the plan. It was smooth sailing from there. Three wins out of four is pretty good,” she continued.
“I’m just going to keep the same mindset I have all season,” Pulling said.
“I won’t look at the championship table and I’ll just focus on what I’m doing on track and hopefully results should follow. There is a bit of a gap now, which is a nice cushion, but anything can happen.
“It’s motorsport, it’s unpredictable, and it’s just about how you bounce back from them things. So, you know, we just do our best every time we go out and it’s wonderful.”
Ahead of the next round in Barcelona on the 21st to 23rd of June, the Alpine Junior Driver will continue her campaign in British F4 as well as other racing series.
“It’s going to be a lot of simulator work with the team, but luckily I’m doing the British Ford Championship as well with Rodin Motorsport. I’ll be racing this coming weekend in Brands Indy, Miami to Brands Indy, who would have thought?”
As one of the returning drivers from the inaugural season of F1 Academy last year, this is Pulling’s last chance to snatch the title.
Although Pin managed to dominate the first round in Jeddah, Pulling pulled one back and did the double in Miami.
