F1 ACADEMY: Pulling extends title lead with back-to-back Miami victories

Abbi Pulling was untroubled as she took her second victory in Round 2, dominating the second race around the Miami International Autodrome.

Lining up on pole once again, the Alpine driver had a brief moment of pressure for the lead from Bianca Bustamante into Turn 1. Yet Pulling’s focus remained firmly forward, setting fastest lap after fastest lap to take the chequered flag three seconds clear.

F1 ACADEMY: Pulling seals assured victory in Miami Race 1

It was redemption day for Bustamante after her Race 1 error on Saturday. Fending off Doriane Pin’s attempts at catching her, the McLaren driver celebrated her first podium of the season, with Pin finishing third for Mercedes.

An action-packed race from start to finish saw the field battle hard on the streets of Miami. Fresh off her home race podium in Race 1, Chloe Chambers rocketed off the line from eighth. Dispatching Aurelia Nobels and Nerea Marti with a double move at Turn 1, the Haas driver quickly carved past Maya Weug and Hamda Al Qubaisi to finish fourth.

Ferrari driver Weug finished fifth followed by Hamda Al Qubaisi and Marti, who lost out in a late battle with Jessica Edgar but the American Express driver spun out and fell down the order with two laps to go.

Amna Al Qubaisi put her strong race pace to good use, climbing from P14 to P8 for the second consecutive race. Carrie Schreiner finished ninth in the Kick Sauber car, whilst Emely De Heus took the chequered flag in 10th. However, the Red Bull Ford driver received a 5-second post-race penalty for leaving the track and gaining an advantage as she overtook Lia Block. As a result, Block is promoted to her first F1 ACADEMY point.

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Pulling leaves Miami with a 34-point lead at the top of the Drivers Standings on 99 points. Pin remains second on 65, 14 points clear of PREMA Racing teammate Weug.

The 2024 F1 ACADEMY season resumes with Round 3’s visit to the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on June 21-23.