F1 ACADEMY: Pulling fends off Chambers to secure Barcelona poles

Abbi Pulling was once again the driver to beat, as the Standings leader narrowly secured her third and fourth F1 ACADEMY pole positions.

Haas’ Chloe Chambers just missed out on the P1 spot for both races, only 0.059s and 0.076s off the Alpine driver’s first and second-best efforts.

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Fastest laps had been exchanged throughout the field, but track evolution meant it was a final two-lap shootout for pole.

Pulling’s 1m 41.529s put her three tenths clear, before blistering laps for Tommy Hilfiger’s Nerea Marti and Chambers sent them to the top of the timing sheets in turn. Pulling responded with a 1:41.396, a lap that went unmatched by the chequered flag.

Marti kept her hopes of winning in front of her home fans alive as she secured third for Race 1, with Mercedes’ Doriane Pin sealing fourth. Bianca Bustamante had to settle for fifth ahead of Aston Martin driver Tina Hausmann, who earned her best Qualifying result this season so far in P6.

Hamda Al Qubaisi, Lia Block and Rodin Motorsport teammates Jessica Edgar and Lola Lovinfosse rounded out the top 10 fastest laps.

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For Race 2, Pulling will once again have Chambers for company on the front row, with Pin and Marti switching places behind them in third and fourth, respectively. Red Bull Racing’s Hamda Al Qubaisi will start from fifth ahead of Block, Hausmann, Bustamante, Edgar and Lovinfosse in 10th.

For an in-depth report of the F1 ACADEMY Qualifying session in Barcelona, visit the official website.