When F1 Academy needed its first generation of stars, Abbi Pulling was already one of the names to watch. The British driver brought years of experience and an impressive record to the championship, before turning that potential into a dominant 2024 title that established her as one of the series’ defining drivers.
From karting in Lincolnshire to making history in British single-seaters, Pulling has built a career filled with victories, setbacks and landmark achievements. Now, with an F1 Academy championship behind her, a place in GB3 and a role with Nissan Formula E, she is continuing to carve out her own path through motorsport.
Finding a passion for racing
Pulling’s love of motorsport began when she was eight years old, when she first climbed behind the wheel of a kart. Growing up in Lincolnshire, she quickly established herself as a promising young driver, eventually claiming two British Junior TKM Championship titles and a TKM Festival victory.
Her success in karting opened the door to single-seaters, with Pulling moving into British F4 in 2020 with JHR Developments. She finished sixth in the championship and collected four podiums during her rookie campaign, but funding issues forced her to step away from the series the following year.
Instead, Pulling turned to the W Series. She joined partway through the 2021 season and immediately showed her potential, taking pole position at the Circuit of the Americas and finishing seventh in the championship despite competing in just four rounds.
Pulling returned for the full 2022 season, taking two further podiums and finishing fourth overall. Her performances caught Alpine’s attention and she joined its driver development programme, giving her another route towards the motorsport dream.
Becoming an F1 Academy frontrunner
When F1 Academy launched in 2023, Pulling was among the drivers given the opportunity to help establish the new championship. She joined Rodin Carlin for the inaugural season while continuing her relationship with Alpine.
Her first campaign showed plenty of promise. Pulling finished fifth in the championship, collecting seven podiums and demonstrating the pace required to fight at the front, although inconsistency prevented her from mounting a serious title challenge.
For Pulling, 2024 presented a chance to turn that potential into something much bigger. Driving for Rodin Motorsport with Alpine backing, she produced one of the most dominant campaigns in the championship’s history.
She took nine victories and 10 pole positions across the 14-race calendar, finishing every race on the podium. By the time the championship reached Qatar, Pulling had done enough to secure the title with three races still remaining.
She finished the season with 263 points, 121 more than runner-up Doriane Pin, becoming the 2024 F1 Academy champion and establishing herself as one of the series’ biggest success stories.
Her achievements extended beyond F1 Academy, too. During the same season, Pulling became the first woman to win a British F4 race, adding another landmark achievement to an already extraordinary year.
More than just a champion
Pulling’s impact on F1 Academy has not only come from her results. As one of the championship’s most recognisable drivers, her personality has helped bring character and accessibility to a series introducing a new audience to women’s motorsport.
Her approach to racing has often been summed up by her own phrase, “a happy Abbi is a fast Abbi”. She has been open about the importance of enjoying her racing and maintaining a positive mindset, even when the pressure surrounding her has been enormous.
Her success demonstrated what the championship could offer beyond its own grid. F1 Academy was created to help female drivers develop and progress, and Pulling’s title gave her the opportunity to take another step up the single-seater ladder.
Life after F1 Academy
Winning F1 Academy did not mean Pulling’s work was finished. Her championship prize provided a fully funded GB3 seat for 2025, giving her the chance to compete in a mixed championship and prove that her success could translate to the next level.
The transition was not always straightforward. Pulling was moving into a different car and competing against an established mixed field, meaning she had to adapt quickly after spending a season dominating F1 Academy.
She claimed a podium at Brands Hatch, becoming the first female driver to finish on the GB3 podium, while also helping Rodin Motorsport secure the teams’ championship.
The experience was an important reminder that progression through motorsport rarely happens in a straight line. Pulling had to learn from difficult weekends and continue developing, rather than simply relying on the success she had already achieved.
Making history at Spa
Pulling returned to GB3 with Rodin Motorsport in 2026, and her second campaign soon delivered another major milestone.
At Spa-Francorchamps, she became the first woman to claim pole position in GB3 before converting it into victory the following day. In doing so, Pulling became the first woman to win a GB3 race.
It was a particularly significant result after the challenges of her first GB3 season, showing that she was continuing to progress in mixed competition rather than being defined solely by her F1 Academy success.
From British F4 to F1 Academy and now GB3, Pulling has repeatedly found herself making history in British single-seater racing.
A new challenge with Nissan
Pulling’s career has also expanded beyond the traditional junior single-seater ladder through her work with Nissan Formula E.
She joined Nissan Formula E Team as a rookie and simulator driver, gaining experience with electric racing technology while working behind the scenes and taking part in rookie testing.
Her relationship with Nissan began after she impressed during the first all-women’s Formula E test in Madrid in 2024, where she topped the timesheets. She has continued working with the team through further rookie testing, including running in 2026.
The role gives Pulling another opportunity to develop her experience while exploring a different branch of single-seater racing, adding another dimension to a career that is increasingly difficult to define by one championship alone.
What comes next for Abbi Pulling?
It is tempting to view Pulling’s career through the list of records she has already broken. She is the first woman to win a British F4 race, an F1 Academy champion, the first woman to stand on a GB3 podium and now the first woman to take GB3 pole and win a race.
But those achievements are only part of what makes her story so interesting.
Pulling has experienced the highs of championship success alongside the realities of progressing through motorsport, including funding setbacks, difficult seasons and the challenge of adapting to new machinery and competition.
Her biggest impact on F1 Academy may therefore be what she has done since winning it. She used the championship as a springboard into GB3, learned from her first season and returned to make history in mixed competition.
The Formula 1 dream that brought Pulling into single-seaters is still there, but she is no longer simply waiting for the next opportunity to arrive. She is building the experience and results that could eventually put her in a position to take it.
For now, Abbi Pulling’s story is still being written, and if her career so far is anything to go by, there are plenty more chapters still to come.
