Photo: Jakob Ebrey Photography
British Formula 4 rookie Abbi Pulling will step up to the Formula Renault Eurocup with FA Racing for this weekend’s Formula 1-supporting round at Imola.
The former Ginetta Junior and GT5 Challenge race spent most of her karting career in Britain’s TKM kart scene, and won back-to-back national junior titles before moving into car racing.
Pulling’s British F4 campaign with JHR Developments has included three podiums, and she currently sits sixth in the points.
“Excited to announce that I will be racing in Imola this weekend in the Formula Renault Eurocup with FA Racing,” said Pulling.
“This will be the only support race to the Formula 1 [Emilia Romagna Grand Prix].
“Huge thank you to those who have given me this opportunity. It will be the first time driving this car and circuit, but I am looking forward to the challenge. Let’s go!”
Fernando Alonso Racing Team is being run this year by MP Motorsport (which also has its own three-car squad in the Eurocup) using the Manor name.
Fronted by husband-and-wife combination Tony and Sarah Shaw, Manor Competition split off in the late 2000s from John Booth’s Manor Motorsport entity that eventually went on to race in F1 and the World Endurance Championship.
From 2012, the Shaws began collaborating with Dutch outfit MP, and the Manor name was revived at the start of this year to run Tijmen van der Helm and Amaury Cordeel in the FA Racing Eurocup entry.
Pulling has been coached during her JHR British F4 campaign by Alice Powell, who raced for Manor Competition during her own days in Formula Renault.