Fresh from being re-confirmed as F1 Academy champion yesterday, Abbi Pulling took her eighth win of the season in race one at Yas Marina.
She took the lead from Chloe Chambers, who passed pulling at the started but threw away her chance of victory on the opening lap.
Hamda Al Qubaisi finished in second with Pulling former title rival Doriane Pin completing the podium in third.
Despite starting on pole for the eighth time in the season, Pulling lost the lead when the lights went out as Chambers leapt into the lead before the first corner. Pulling refused to let Chambers get away, however, and kept her under pressure throughout the opening lap.
Entering turn nine, Chambers lost control of her car and spun, while Pulling motored by into the lead. Rather than wait for the field to pass, Chambers rejoined the track while the rest of the cars rounded the corner, forcing some towards the back to take avoiding action. Chambers was handed a five second penalty for rejoining unsafely.
Chambers’ spin promoted Hamda Al Qubaisi into second place in her home race and Emely de Heus into third with Pin in fourth. While Pulling built up her lead out front, Pin passed De Heus for third and began to catch Al Qubaisi in second.
Rodin asked Pulling to consider backing off to give Al Qubaisi a tow to help her defend from the Prema driver to help Rodin’s prospects in the team’s championship, but Pulling did not seem interested. The champion remained comfortably ahead and took the chequered flag to secure her eighth win of the season. Al Qubaisi held her nerve under sustained pressure from Pin over the final laps to take second place, with the Mercedes-backed driver completing the podium.
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De Heus finished fourth ahead of McLaren-backed driver Bianca Bustamante. Nerea Marti claimed sixth ahead of Maya Weug, Amna Al Qubaisi and Carrie Schreiner with Aurelia Nobels taking the final point in tenth. Chambers took the chequered flag ninth but dropped to 11th after her penalty.
Race result
| Position | Car | Driver | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 9 | Abbi Pulling | Rodin |
| 2 | 8 | Hamda Al Qubaisi | MP |
| 3 | 28 | Doriane Pin | Prema |
| 4 | 7 | Emely De Heus | MP |
| 5 | 16 | Bianca Bustamante | ART |
| 6 | 30 | Nerea Marti | Campos |
| 7 | 64 | Maya Weug | Prema |
| 8 | 88 | Amna Al Qubaisi | MP |
| 9 | 15 | Carrie Schreiner | Campos |
| 10 | 22 | Aurelia Nobels | ART |
| 11 | 14 | Chloe Chambers | Campos |
| 12 | 57 | Courtney Crone | Prema |
| 13 | 3 | Lola Lovinfosse | Rodin |
| 14 | 54 | Aurelia Nobels | ART |
| 15 | 19 | Tina Hausmann | Prema |
| 16 | 17 | Jessica Edgar | Rodin |
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