On March 28, Abbi Pulling took part in the Formula E Rookie Test in Madrid with Nissan. Alongside competing in GB3, Pulling works with the Formula E team as both a rookie and simulator driver. The Girls Who – Motorsport had the chance to speak with Pulling about her experience with the team. She explained how balancing Formula E and GB3 works fo her and how F1 Academy helped save her racing career.

After the “vigorous test programme for the team”, Pulling felt comfortable the entire weekend of the Madrid Rookie Test. Getting through both sessions and ending up in the Top 10 was a good result. But places alone is something she and the team try to avoid focusing on too much since “everyone’s doing different things in such a competitive test”.

Pressure & Expectations

With all her simulator work for Nissan comes a fair bit of pressure or expectations. Still Pulling claims that there is no pressure from the team during testing days. She’s only there to do her job and help the team. Though it’s a cycle of helping each other, especially when jumping from the real car to the simulator. Her main work this weekend consists of doing race runs and race support during the test. These hours on track help the team gather more data to improve their Formula E drivers’ races.

Meanwhile, the test also gives Pulling track time to improve her driving. Another key part of race weekends is the mental preparation; for Pulling, she spent that week “testing with GB3 and then went straight to Nissan on the simulator for two days”.

Naturally, the soreness from the physical exercise built up, but as she put it, “I actually fared way better than I expected.” Though she added that on circuits like Valencia, where she physically struggles, the added physio benefites her and allowes for a much better window in run timings.

Format Changing Rumours

When asked whether she had the freedom to push or if the focus remained solely on data collection, Pulling explained that while she completed some push laps, race-running programmes were the main priority throughout the test.“People say it’s boring. I don’t think it’s boring; it’s another way of driving, being efficient, and trying to regenerate your battery.” Despite the emphasis on long runs and energy management, she found enjoyment in the different technical aspects of Formula E.

Amid discussions about Formula E testing adopting a format closer to qualifying, Pulling admitted she was unsure about this. She explained that the purpose of the sessions remains centred on testing and preparation rather than outright performance. “As a team and drivers, we’re here to test and practise, and in some sense, a qualifying format as a driver is a one-lap dash, so we can simulate that if that is what we desire to do,” she said

Formula E & GB3 Training the Mind

Gaining an insight into her work in GB3, according to Pulling circuits from the GB3 calendar that suit her style best, is between Budapest and Silverstone. “Budapest is that mid-speed flow that’s a quite technical circuit that suits me pretty well.”

While not a track she would’ve considered before, it was the post-season testing at the Red Bull Ring that she found her stride on the circuit. Of course Silverstone has a special place in her heart, as her home race. Especially following her best qualifying there. She also likes Zandvoort circuit, but won’t be racing there this year.

Speaking of GB3, what skills could she implement into her Formula E sessions? In a way, Pulling sees her learning more from Formula E implemented into her GB3 racing. “I think in Formula E you have to have such a big capacity, and what I mean by that is you have to be managing so many things whilst driving, and the driving is the second thought.” Mentally and physically multitasking in the Formula E car and sim has improved her situational awareness and focus when she’s behind the GB3 wheel.

Praising F1 Academy & Dealing With Hate

Reflecting on her time in F1 Academy with the release of the show, we wanted to know if there’s been a change of perception of female drivers from fans that she has noticed. “I would hope so; I think it’s done a world of good for me and helped build my profile. It’s helped me stay racing in F1 Academy. I owe a lot to them; I would’ve stopped racing in 2023, so I’m very fortunate that that’s come about.” 

While there will be people whose minds never change, it has brought about a noticeable change in some viewers’ minds, especially in the growth of fans attending races and younger people wanting to join karting and expanding the pool of female drivers. As Pulling points out, “Even Lewis Hamilton has haters, and he’s a 7x world champion. It’s sad there are people like that, but we have people getting on board, being more open-minded and excited for the progression that’s going on.”