Formula E testing: Briton Abbi Pulling fastest in all-female session
Britain’s Abbi Pulling made history with the fastest time in the first all-female Formula E test.
The 21-year-old Nissan driver is the fastest of Spain’s 18 top female drivers in the world.
“It’s very physically demanding – I didn’t expect it,” said Pring, who currently leads the F1 Academy standings.
“I worked hard in the gym but the new tires gave me a real challenge. I couldn’t get the full performance out of the car that I wanted.”
All 11 teams in the electric racing series have fielded at least one driver at the Jarrama circuit near Madrid as part of its long-term strategy to “remove barriers in motorsport and expand opportunities for women”.
The event was due to be held in Valencia, the usual venue for Formula E’s pre-season testing, but was moved to the Spanish capital after devastating floods in the Valencia region killed more than 200 people.
The women, who come from different forms of motorsport, took to the track during Friday’s three-hour race behind the wheel of the latest Gen3 Evo car, which will be used for the upcoming 2025 season.
It can accelerate from 0-60 mph in 1.82 seconds, 30% faster than a Formula One car.
The rally time of 1 minute 30.88 seconds was 3.4 seconds slower than Formula E driver Mitch Evans, who set the fastest lap in Thursday’s men’s test at the same track with the Jaguar TCS car.
“Considering the limited runs we had, it wasn’t too bad,” Pullin said. “But I wanted to be closer.”
Three-time W Series champion Jamie Chadwick was second, with McLaren’s Bianca Bustamante third.
