Pulling wins again in F1 Academy race two at Yas Marina

Photo: F1 Academy

Rodin Motorsport’s Abbi Pulling came from behind to score her ninth victory in F1 Academy’s second contest at Yas Marina.

As in race one, the lead changed hands at turn nine on the opening lap, but this time it was Pulling that lost out. She initially led away from pole, but Campos Racing’s Chloe Chambers made a better exit from turn eight to draw alongside and then snatch the advantage at the corner where she had spun off in the opening encounter.

Chambers held a 0.5-second lead for the first six laps but a mistake on the next tour allowed Pulling to pounce and reclaim first place as the pair headed under the circuit hotel.

MP Motorsport’s Hamda Al Qubaisi and Prema’s Doriane Pin then closed in on Chambers, as Pulling broke one second clear at the front on the next lap. Pulling extended the gap to 1.7s before a collision between Rodin team-mates Lola Lovinfosse and Jessica Edgar resulted in the race finishing behind the safety car.

Chambers maintained second ahead of Al Qubaisi, who scored her second podium of the weekend on home soil, while Pin took fourth having already clinched championship runner-up spot in race one.

Prema’s Maya Weug lost out to Campos driver Nerea Marti at the start, and the pair were involved in dice for fifth before Weug prevailed by diving up the inside with five laps to go.

Marti held off ART Grand Prix’s Bianca Bustamante for sixth, the latter having started from fourth but repeated her slow getaway from the first contest.

MP’s Emily De Heus finished eighth after a late four-way scrap, with Prema’s Tina Hausmann wrestling ninth away from Amna Al Qubaisi who was carrying a 10s penalty that shuffled her to 13th at the finish.

Prema’s wildcard driver Logan Hannah profited from the Lovinfosse and Edgar collision to finish 10th ahead of Aurelia Nobels who had to take avoiding action in that incident.

ART Grand Prix’s Lia Block was involved in late contact with Amna Al Qubaisi and dropped to 12th, while Campos driver Carrie Schreiner retired in the pitlane after becoming briefly airbone in an opening-lap clash with Lovinfosse.

Race result (14 laps)