Pulling cruises to eighth F1 Academy win at Yas Marina

Photo: F1 Academy

Newly-crowned F1 Academy champion Abbi Pulling took a dominant victory in the opening race of the weekend at the Yas Marina finale.

The Rodin Motorsport driver finished 4.6 seconds clear of MP Motorsport’s Hamda Al Qubaisi, while Prema’s Doriane Pin climbed from fifth to third.

After qualifying on pole, Pulling lost the lead at the start to Campos Racing’s Chloe Chambers but moved back ahead before the opening lap was completed when Chambers spun at turn nine.

Chambers dropped to the rear of the field and was handed a five-second penalty for an unsafe rejoin in front of Prema’s Tina Hausmann.

Pulling held a two-second lead over Al Qubaisi at the halfway stage, and more than doubled that advantage in the remaining seven laps to take her eighth triumph of the season in commanding fashion.

Pin made her way by MP’s fast-starting Emely De Heus for third in the early stages and then eradicated a 2s deficit to Al Qubaisi.

The pair squabbled over second during the final four laps, with Al Qubaisi resisting the pressure to remain ahead until the chequered flag, while De Heus claimed fourth.

ART Grand Prix’s Bianca Bustamante made a slow getaway from the grid’s second row but recovered to finish fifth. Campos driver Nerea Marti was sixth, having spent the final few laps defending against Prema’s Maya Weug, with MP’s Amna Al Qubaisi and Marti’s team-mate Carrie Schreiner finishing close behind in eighth and ninth.

Rodin’s Lola Lovinfosse initially headed a feisty scrap for tenth before spinning after being rear-ended by both Hausmann and Chambers. Hausmann was handed a 10s penalty for her part in the incident, while Chambers’ 5s penalty from the opening lap dropped her to 11th at the finish behind ART’s Aurelia Nobels.

Race result (14 laps)