Ace Abbi is all set for Imola drive as she steps up to compete in Formula Renault Eurocup

Gosberton’s British Formula 4 talent Abbi Pulling will step up to the Formula Renault Eurocup with FA Racing when she makes her international driving debut at this weekend’s Formula 1-supporting round at Imola.

The former Ginetta Junior and GT5 Challenge racer, who spent most of her karting career in Britain’s TKM kart scene and won back-to-back national junior titles before moving into car racing, has stepped up successfully to F4 this season.

Pulling’s British F4 campaign with JHR Developments has included three podiums, and she currently sits sixth in the driver standings.

But it will be first ever outing in a F3 specification car when she lines up in Saturday morning’s free practice sessions at the iconic San Marino-based track.

“Excited to announce that I will be racing in Imola this weekend in the Formula Renault Eurocup with FA Racing,” said Pulling. “This will be the only support race to the Formula 1 (Emilia Romagna Grand Prix).

“Huge thank you to those who have given me this opportunity.

“It will be the first time driving this car and circuit, but I am looking forward to the challenge. Let’s go!”

Pulling has been coached during her JHR British F4 campaign by Alice Powell, who raced for Manor Competition during her own days in Formula Renault.

Powell added: “It has been an extremely busy past four weeks for Abbi who has been training hard with Sarah Harrington (performance coach and physio for Red Bull Racing) and working closely with Gazing Performance Systems. Opportunities like this don’t come round very often, however, it is for sure going to be a huge but exciting challenge for Abbi.

“We are looking forward to heading to Imola this week where it will be her first-ever experience of the car in the first and only Free Practice session on Saturday.”

Pulling – who is 17 – was in British F4 action at Snetterton over the weekend, putting in another strong showing.

The JHR racer qualified a solid sixth for race one, some 0.927secs behind pole sitter Luke Browning (Fortec).

She was to start race three in seventh, with Carlin’s Zak O’Sullivan claiming pole for that one.

Race one was won by O’Sullivan, with Pulling 9.554secs back in a fine fifth place after a great overtaking move on Casper Stevenson.

She repeated the trick in the second race, which was contested under reverse grid rules.

Pulling was involved in a great tussle with Luke Browning and Alex Connor for places four to six and ended up splitting the pair.

The final round, which was won by O’Sullivan again for a clean sweep of victories, saw the South Holland star take sixth. She had to be patient after being held up by Frederick Lubin, but made her move to seal a trio of top six places.

Pulling now sits sixth in the standings on 166 points ahead of the final three rounds of the season at Brands Hatch on November 14.