Rodin Carlin’s Abbi Pulling and ART Grand Prix Lena Bühler will start on Pole Position for Race 1 and Race 3 as the F1 Academy hits Circuit Paul Ricard.

Qualifying 1

After a short break following Free Practice 2, the drivers were ready to tackle Qualifying 1 which would set the grid for Race 1 and Race 2.

With benchmark times being set by ART Grand Prix teammates Chloe Grant, 1:28.380, and Carrie Schreiner, 1:28.554, early on in the session, the rest of the grid knew the time they had to beat.

It wasn’t long before Martí would reach the top of the timesheets with a 1:27.335, before going even faster with a 1:27.281, her fastest time in the session.

Pulling though wouldn’t be outdone as she powered through the 3.826km track to set an unbeatable 1:27.249 ahead of Bühler and Lola Lovinfosse.

Meanwhile, series leader Marta García could only manage sixth, behind her two nearest rivals, Bühler and Hamda Al Qubaisi.

Amna Al Qubaisi will start on Pole for Race 2 for the third time in a row and the fourth time this season in what was the closest Qualifying session of the year, with just 0.7 seconds separating the whole grid.

Following the race PREMA Racing’s Bianca Bustamante has received a three-place grid penalty meaning she will start Race 1 in fifteenth.

Race 1 pole sitter Abbi Pulling said:
“Really happy to be P1. I think it shows how me and Rodin Carlin have been working to get to this point.

“The car feels really good and competitive in the hotter conditions. Bit disappointed in Q2 with P2, didn’t maximise the first sector on my best lap but regardless to start on the front row in both Race 1 and 3 and it puts us in a good position for us to fight for wins.”

Qualifying 2

Abbi Pulling again was on top early on in Qualifying 2, as she set purple sectors with a 1:27.042, before Bühler set a 1:26.785.

Meanwhile García moved into third with a 1:27.079, before Pulling improved again to move into second with a 1:26.871.

The Brit would further improve to get a 1:26:860 but ultimately it wouldn’t be enough to overtake Swiss driver Bühler and she would have to settle for second.

Bühler who sits in third of the Driver’s Standings, will start on pole position tomorrow afternoon ahead of Pulling and Campos Racing’s Lovinfosse, who achieved her joint best qualifying performance of the season as the French driver will line up on the second row for both Race 1 and Race 3.

Race 3 frontrunner Léna Bühler said:
“It’s really good to be on pole for Q2. I was blocked on my lap in Q1 so it is a bit of a shame, but I missed the pole or P2 by a very close margin. I am really happy with Q2. I had a really good lap and I will give my best for Race 3.”

What’s Next

The cars go racing tomorrow, July 30, as all three races take place on a jam-packed Sunday.

Race 1 at 9:15 will see Pulling on a quest to become an F1 Academy Race winner.

F1 Academy Race 1 Qualifying

1. Abbi Pulling – (Rodin Carlin)
2. Nerea Martí – (Mercantile Campos Racing)
3. Lola Lovinfosse – (Mercantile Campos Racing)
4. Lena Bühler – (ART Grand Prix)
5. Hamda Al Qubaisi – (MP Motorsport)
6. Marta García – (PREMA Racing)
7. Carrie Schreiner – (ART Grand Prix)
8. Amna Al Qubaisi – (MP Motorsport)
9. Jessica Edgar – (Rodin Carlin)
10. Maite Cáceres – (Mercantile Campos Racing)
11. Chloe Grant – (ART Grand Prix)
12. Chloe Chong – (PREMA Racing)
13. Emely de Heus – (MP Motorsport)
14. Megan Gilkes – (Rodin Carlin)
15. Bianca Bustamante – (PREMA Racing)

F1 Academy Race 3 Qualifying

1. Lena Bühler – (ART Grand Prix)
2. Abbi Pulling – (Rodin Carlin)
3. Lola Lovinfosse – (Mercantile Campos Racing)
4. Marta García – (PREMA Racing)
5. Nerea Martí – (Mercantile Campos Racing)
6. Hamda Al Qubaisi – (MP Motorsport)
7. Carrie Schreiner – (ART Grand Prix)
8. Jessica Edgar – (Rodin Carlin)
9. Megan Gilkes – (Rodin Carlin)
10. Bianca Bustamante – (PREMA Racing)
11. Chloe Chong – (PREMA Racing)
12. Amna Al Qubaisi – (MP Motorsport)
13. Maite Cáceres – (Mercantile Campos Racing)
14. Chloe Grant – (ART Grand Prix)
15. Emely de Heus – (MP Motorsport)