Abbi Pulling has ended her final Qualifying session of her F1 ACADEMY career with three pole positions out of three at the Qualifying session of the 2024 Abu Dhabi GP. The Brit set the first, second and third fastest times of the session, earning her that first grid slot in all three races this weekend.
Chloe Chambers, hot on the heels of Pulling, finished in P2 in the session followed by Hamda Al Qubaisi, following a storming penultimate flying lap. Doriane Pin, having rolled the dice at the start of the session by using only half the session and one set of tyres, was on a rescue mission to scrape back some grid positions after a horrible start. The Mercedes livery car finished the session in P5. Bianca Bustamante completes the top five in P4.
As it Happened
It was business as usual – almost- during the F1 ACADEMY Qualifying session at the 2024 Abu Dhabi GP. The difference was, that while the drivers usually have to contend with two important flying laps, they now had three. Following the cancellation of Race 2 last weekend in Qatar, this weekend will hold three races for the F1 ACADEMY grid. Grids would then be set based on drivers’ three fastest lap times instead of the usual two.
Hamda Al Qubaisi’s Red Bull-liveried car led the charge as the grid took to the Yas Marina Circuit for the F1 Academy qualifying session. Drivers were eager to lay down fast laps with three best times determining the grid. However, half the field returned to the pits after completing just one lap.
Aurelia Nobels initially topped the timesheets with a 2:02.216, closely followed by Lia Block, who was just a tenth behind. Meanwhile, the other drivers rejoined the action five minutes into the session after gearing up in the pits.
Bustamante Sets the Pace
As the ten-minute mark approached, the pace quickened. Bianca Bustamante, driving in the McLaren livery, posted a 1:56.894, outpacing Block by 0.8 seconds. Championship leader Abbi Pulling showcased her potential with the fastest first sector but lost time in the second sector due to a mistake. Despite this, she recovered to move into second place, demonstrating her strong form.
Doriane Pin and Maya Weug opted to stay in the pits early in the session, conserving their tires for a single run. The strategy left them at a disadvantage, struggling to heat the tyres up while the rest of the field used two sets of tyres. Both drivers joined the fray with 16 minutes remaining.
Pulling Leads the Fight
As the session progressed, Pulling and Chambers engaged in a fierce battle for the top spot. Pulling’s 1:56.340 edged Chambers, who trailed by just 0.073 seconds. Meanwhile, Pin struggled to find her rhythm, sitting over a second off the pace in P11 after her first flying lap as her tyres took time to reach optimal temperature.
With ten minutes remaining, Pin and teammate Maya Weug continued to struggle, their tyre-conservation strategy appearing to falter. Pin’s time of P2 was deleted due to track limits, leaving her without a valid lap with only six minutes left.
Late Drama Unfolds
Pulling continued to improve, setting purple sectors and further solidifying her advantage. As the session neared its conclusion, Pin finally recorded a valid lap time, slotting into P4. However, with three lap times required to determine grid positions, the French driver faced an uphill battle to recover.
Hamda Al Qubaisi surged to provisional pole in the final minutes, only for Pulling to reclaim the top spot moments later. Chambers also improved, moving ahead of Al Qubaisi to secure second.
Final Standings
Pulling’s dominant performance earned her pole position, with Chambers close behind in second and Al Qubaisi in third.
Featured Image Credit: BWT Alpine F1 Team
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