Abbi Pulling, a driver from Rodin Motorsport from Great Britain, took the lead in the second practice session of the F1 Academy at the Miami International Autodrome. She surpassed Doriane Pin, also known as Iron Dame, while struggling with oversteer and the setup of her car. Pulling achieved the fastest time of 1:59.237s, establishing herself at the top of the F1 Academy grid.
After the only Formula 1 practice session, there was a slight delay in the schedule before the drivers headed out for the 40-minute second practice session. Many drivers on the grid were not familiar with the Miami International Autodrome, making it a new experience for them. However, some former W Series drivers, including Pulling, already had racing experience at this venue.
Bianca Bustamente, a McLaren development driver, initially set the fastest lap time of 2:00.655s, closely followed by Lia Block, a Williams Academy driver, who was competing on her home turf in her first full season of formula car racing. The midfield pack was highly competitive in the first 10 minutes of the session, with less than two seconds separating the top ten drivers.
During her fast lap, Pulling lightly brushed the wall at Turn 16, leading her to abort the lap. Meanwhile, Pin made significant progress, moving from sixth to second place in the first 10 minutes of the session. Although Pin had set the fastest time in the first practice session, she expressed concerns about the setup of her car and had a lock-up before the first DRS zone. Despite briefly dropping to eighth place, Pin eventually regained her position at the top with a lap time of 2:00.358s.
However, Pulling reclaimed the fastest lap time of Lap 15 minutes in the session, widening the gap between them by four tenths of a second. After cutting the chicane, Pulling decided to go to the pits, concluding the session.
Bustamente firmly held his position among the top three during the first half of the session, battling with the junior drivers from Alpine and Mercedes for the lead. Guest participant Courtney Crone continued to struggle after a slow morning session, finishing approximately six tenths of a second behind the full-time drivers. Crone has had significant success in sports car racing, but her participation in the F1 Academy marks her first experience in formula car racing in four years. Pulling took control of the grid in the second half of the practice session, with Pin closely following, while Nerea Martí took Bustamente’s position as the third fastest driver. As half of the grid headed to the pits, rally star Block went for a quick lap, aiming to secure a top-ten position on her own turf. Ferrari Academy driver Maya Weug made an effort to improve on her fourth place position in the first practice session, but ended up just a tenth behind the fastest driver on the grid. Pulling further improved her fastest time with 15 minutes remaining, clocking in at 2:00.129s, while the rest of the grid returned to the track after a pit stop. The Alpine junior driver had an outstanding performance in all sectors, breaking the two-minute mark. Pin closely followed Pulling, but faced pressure from the fast Spanish driver sporting Tommy Hilfiger colors. Despite having experience in the F1 Academy, the Al Qubaisi sisters struggled to make an impact among the top ten. During a promising quick lap, the McLaren junior driver locked up the car twice heading into Turn 17 and dropped to the sixth fastest position. The Iron Dame made subtle improvements in her time, but went off track in the middle sector, allowing Spanish driver Martí to snatch the second fastest position in front of her Tommy Hilfiger sponsor. Martí significantly increased her speed in the final seven minutes of the session, clocking in at 1:59.634s. Haas-nominated driver Chloe Chambers moved up to the third fastest position on her own turf, overtaking the Ferrari Academy driver in fifth. In the last five minutes of the session, 14 drivers were within a second of each other, as the all-female grid fiercely competed for the fastest position. Pulling managed to pull away slightly from her fellow drivers, despite stating that she was feeling unwell during the day, securing the lead ahead of the American driver in second place.
Heading to the pits in the final moments, Chambers decided not to continue his fast lap while also having his 14th lap removed for exceeding track limits at Turn 5.
After creating a gap between herself and the other drivers, Pulling returned to the pits with a final time of 1:59.237s.
The Tommy Hilfiger representative driver was only three tenths behind Pulling before the French driver secured the second fastest position, despite making a mistake.
The Iron Dame struggled with the handling of her car in the middle sector of her final lap, confirming the setup concerns she had earlier in the day.
Competing on her home turf, Chambers placed her Campos Racing car named by Haas in fourth position, ahead of Brazilian driver Aurelia Nobels in fifth.
Despite a strong start in the session, Bustamente dropped to seventh place behind Weug in sixth.
Returning F1 Academy driver, Amna Al Qubaisi, clocked the eighth fastest time, followed by Emely De Heus, while the Red Bull trio completed the top ten.
The drivers are now looking ahead to race 1 tomorrow, with growing concerns about track limits, as many drivers struggled with the narrow middle sector.
Eager to secure her first official win of the season, Pulling will aim to extend her lead at the top of the standings in both races this weekend.
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Brazilian soccer star Neymar Jr. was seen at an extravagant party last night. The Paris Saint-Germain player was surrounded by friends and celebrities, making the most of the night. Neymar Jr. showcased his talent both on the dance floor and on the soccer field, impressing everyone with his skills.
During the party, Neymar Jr. was seen with a mysterious woman by his side. The two seemed very close and exchanged passionate looks throughout the night. Rumors of a new romance have already started circulating, with fans eager to find out who is the lucky one who has captured the player’s heart.
In addition to enjoying the party, Neymar Jr. also talked about his career and his future goals. The player revealed that he is determined to win more titles and make history in football. With his talent and determination, there is no doubt that Neymar Jr. will continue to shine on the field.
Neymar Jr.’s party was a true success, with guests having fun until the early hours of the morning. The player showed that he knows how to have fun and enjoy life, while continuing to delight fans with his talent in football. Surely, this night will stay in the memory of all who were present.
