Abbi Pulling, a driver for Rodin Motorsport from Great Britain, showcased her skills at the FIA Formula Academy event in Miami, Florida, USA on May 3, 2024. Pulling dominated the grid by setting the fastest times, securing pole positions for both Race 1 and Race 2 at the Miami International Autodrome.
Throughout the session, Pulling consistently outperformed her competitors, initially claiming the provisional pole ahead of Doriane Pin, also known as the Iron Dame. However, Pulling further improved her time, setting a remarkable lap time of 1:58.507s.
In the F1 Academy Qualifying, the drivers’ two fastest times determine the grid order for both races. The driver’s fastest time determines their position for Race 1, while their second fastest lap sets the grid for Race 2.
Pulling, as the Championship leader, was the first to set the fastest time. Subsequently, the nominated drivers from Mercedes and Ferrari engaged in a fierce battle to challenge Pulling’s dominance.
During the session, Maya Weug became the first driver to break the two-minute mark, recording a time of 11:59.555s after 10 minutes. Meanwhile, Pulling decided to abandon a flying lap and head into the pits.
Pin, who initially set the second-fastest time, was pushed down to third place as she attempted to snatch the provisional pole from Pulling, the talented Alpine Junior Driver.
Lia Block, a driver from the Williams Academy, experienced a lockup on one of her early flying laps and had to make a pit stop.
As the session reached its halfway point, several drivers opted to enter the pits. However, Lola Lovinfosse, the driver nominated by Charlotte Tilbury, took advantage of an empty track and completed two flying laps.
Following Lovinfosse, Aurelia Nobels, the youngest driver on the grid, skillfully maneuvered her Puma car around the scorching Miami circuit.
In her return to the track, Pulling dominated the competition, surpassing the Ferrari driver with a time of 1:59.278s.
With a strong chance of securing pole position in both races, Pulling continued to improve her lap times in the final 10 minutes of the session, solidifying her place at the top.
Despite struggling with set-up issues throughout the weekend, Pin dropped to seventh place in the last eight minutes, while Bianca Bustamente, a McLaren Development Driver, claimed the second spot just two-tenths of a second behind Pulling.
As the track temperature rose, the top 12 drivers were separated by a mere two seconds in the final six minutes.
Bustamente briefly took the lead, but Pulling quickly reclaimed the fastest time, finishing four-tenths of a second ahead.
Emirati driver Amna Al Qubaisi initially secured a front row position behind Pulling, but was overtaken by the impressive Iron Dame.
Pulling maintained her provisional pole position in the final four minutes, setting a time of 1:58.507, half a second faster than the Frenchwoman in second place.
Al Qubaisi held onto third place, followed by Bustamente in fourth and the Ferrari Academy Driver in fifth.
Nerea Marti earned a sixth place starting position, while Nobels took eighth place, just ahead of Aston Martin’s Tina Haussman.
Chloe Chambers, representing Haas, finished in seventh place on her home turf, while rally driver Block managed to secure twelfth place at her own race.
Completing the top 10, the Charlotte Tilbury driver claimed the 10th spot, while Wildcard Entrant Courtney Crone trailed nearly two seconds behind the pole-sitter in 16th place.