ABBI PULLING’s Awkward Hamilton Meeting: ‘Mate, She Jumped the Start’

March 6, 2025

• ABBI PULLING served up peak racer energy when she first met Lewis Hamilton at COTA 2023, skipping pleasantries to immediately lobby for a jump start penalty against her competitor. The reigning F1 Academy champion admits she’s still cringing about telling the seven-time world champ ‘Mate, she jumped the start’ instead of, you know, acknowledging she was meeting a legend.
• The 21-year-old has been making her own history lately – she became the first woman to win a British F4 race at Brands Hatch last May, proving that awkward introductions don’t slow down champions. With Hamilton showing support for the F1 Academy (though mainly for her rival Doriane Pin at the time), PULLING was clearly more focused on racing justice than star-struck moments.
• Now PULLING’s stepping up to the 2025 GB3 Championship with Rodin Motorsport, and many are watching to see if she’ll become the first woman in F1 since Lella Lombardi in 1976. The championship kicks off April 26-27 at Silverstone, where we’ll see if her straight-talking approach translates to more podium celebrations.

all-female f1 academy, british f4, gb3 championship, rodin motorsport