After a tough visit to Zandvoort last time out, the Alpine Academy racer touched down in Italy keen to make amends, and kickstart a late-season surge up the championship standings.
After a strong showing in practice around the 3.6-mile ‘Temple of Speed’, Pulling celebrated her maiden pole position in qualifying and, but for traffic, it could well have been a double.
Starting third, Pulling was bested by her Rodin Carlin team-mate Jessica Edgar in the opening contest, the latter sending a move around the outside of Variante de Rettifilo. Pulling rallied well and had a run at re-claiming the final podium spot, but ultimately fell short by just 0.016 seconds at the chequered flag.
Pulling would not be denied silverware in Race 2 later that afternoon, however. Again a fixture at the front of the pack, the 20-year-old from Spalding featured as part of a thrilling four-car fight for victory, ultimately besting Carrie Schreiner for third on this occasion.
That was Pulling’s fourth trip to the podium in 2023, and she went one better with a second-placed finish in the finale to add a fifth and complete a silverware-laden weekend.
Starting on pole, Abbi started well and extended the lead early on against chief rival Bianca Bustamante. The slipstream, however, proved to be a potent ally for the PREMA driver behind, and Pulling was forced to yield the lead at the Ascari chicane.
Any chance to retaliate was blighted by a late-race safety car, under which the race finished, but second still marked an equal season-best result for Pulling, and her combined efforts over the weekend have seen her rise to fourth in the standings.
Formula 1 ®’s all-female series returns to action at Circuit Paul Ricard, Le Castellet over the weekend of 29-30 July, before heading on to the United States Grand Prix for the season finale in October.
Abbi Pulling said:
“Overall, it was a pretty positive weekend, picking up my first pole position and then two podiums."
“It was definitely a step in the right direction, and I think we were the ones to beat all weekend, to be honest. It was just unfortunate in Q1 that I got traffic in the middle sector, otherwise it could have been a double pole.
“Regardless, it was still a good weekend. I got hit on the first lap in Race 1 and it actually broke my driveshaft, so I had to continue with damage – and a very weird sensation driving the car! I managed to still bring it home P4 – and I’m disappointed, because even with that, I think there was more in it.
“I moved forward again in Race 2, starting from P6, as it was a reverse grid race. I got a decent start, but I think I should have been P2, really. There was a car that cut the corner on Lap 1 to overtake me, but they never gave the position back, or got a penalty for it."
“Race 3, I did my best to keep the rocket ship behind me, but unfortunately with a combination of their straight-line speed and four new tyres, it wasn’t do-able.
“I’ve got to keep my chin up and be happy with the P2. The first win is definitely on the way, and next time out at Paul Ricard, we have more corners and less straights – so we should be able to fight!”
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