Spurs stories | Abbi Pulling - F1 Academy champion, motorsport driver & Spurs fan

F1 Academy champion and motorsport driver Abbi Pulling on the challenges she faced on the growth of Women’s involvement in sport and her journey to being a Spurs fan.

Having had the opportunity to meet the Women’s First Team squad last year, the 22-year-old was in attendance for our Women’s Super League London derby at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday.

One of the brightest female motorsport drivers in the world, Abbi certainly made a name for herself on the biggest stage of all, winning the F1 Academy Championship in 2024 after a stellar second season in the competition, having previously competed in the W-Series.

She is now getting prepared for her second season in the GB3 Championship, which is scheduled to start in April, with Rodin Motorsport, where she finished in tenth out of 35 drivers, and became the first female podium finisher in GB3 at Brands Hatch in round six.

Speaking to us ahead of her visit to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for the WSL London derby earlier this month, Abbi told us her Spurs story…

First of all Abbi, why Spurs?

Abbi: “My family have supported Spurs since I was little, but I didn't really get into football until I moved out. My housemate is also a massive Spurs fan, so it always was on the TV and I started to enjoy football more, and watching other sports in general, as I just normally used to watch motorsport. Last year, I got to meet the Women’s squad in person and it was a whole different experience. I came down to a training session, Bethany England came over to me and we had a bit of a conversation. It was nice to be seen and for them to appreciate what I do as much as I was watching them do their job and appreciate what they do. Whenever there's an opportunity I always come down to London, I always try to get down to watch the game.”

How did it feel to be at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to see our Women’s First Team take on Chelsea?

Abbi: “It was incredible to go pitchside, get up and close with everyone. It’s always a pleasure to come back here, at the stadium, especially for such a big game and they were very unfortunate to not come away with anything but it was amazing to see the thousands of supporters in attendance and cheering on the team.”

What are your earliest football memories?

Abbi: “I got taken to a game, the men’s north London derby in the 2021/22 season, and we won 3-0. It was the first time I'd ever been to a football game and it hasn’t been the last. It was just a different atmosphere that I'd never experienced before and, since then, I've been hooked and I've got all my shirts hanging up.”

Have you been following our Women’s season so far?

Abbi: “I've been keeping up to date. I've not been able to watch every single game, I have to admit, due to my schedule, but they have been doing fantastic this season. We’re obviously sitting fifth in the table, while today’s game against Chelsea is looking exciting – if there’s any game you want to win, it’s this one.”

When you are around the paddock or on the racing track, which player do you feel you resemble the most?

Abbi: “I like Bethany England and Lenna Gunning-Williams for two different reasons. I think Bethany is such a great leader and she really champions the girls; she tries to push the team forward. On a more personal level, I relate more to Lenna as she's quite a character, quite a lot of banter and always a smile on her face. I always say when I'm happy, I always drive the best and I feel like I see a bit of that in Lenna as well. When she's enjoying herself, she looks like she's just having a great game.”

How did you get involved in motorsport?

Abbi: “I got involved through my dad as he used to race on motorbikes. My whole childhood was spent at the racetrack and, at around the age of eight, I ended up having a go myself - not on two wheels, on four wheels as I don't think I'd be trusted and have the concentration for that – and the love just stemmed from there. He then got me my own kart and that was kind of the snowball effect for everything. He took me every weekend in my own go-kart. He loved it just as much as I did, which was quite a beautiful thing.”

What were the challenges you faced in motorsport as a young female?

Abbi: “It would be the dads, of a different generation, telling their sons, ‘don't let her beat you’, ‘you can't let a girl overtake you’, and so on. It was kind of frustrating but also lit a fire in my belly. My dad would just say, ‘you've got to prove them wrong’ and I felt like most of my career, I've just been trying to prove people wrong and the stereotypes and stigmas around Women in sport as a whole, not just motor sport.  As a youngster, I was just living a blissful, ignorance life, that I was just loving the sport but I heard things here and there, but it didn't really get to me - maybe as much as it would have now. Sometimes I've got to remember to be the eight-year-old Abbi again, to put the blinders on and just focus on myself, have fun and not let the noise get to me. It can be quite intimidating at times, but I've got to be the one that pushes on through and tries to achieve great things because I'm one of the people that's inspiring the next generation of female racers. A lot of us are pioneering our way through single seaters and, I think, I'm the highest-level single-seated female driver at the moment, so that's quite cool. I also want to do it justice, go further and prove to not just other females, but to the world that we're here to stay, we're here to win.”

Have you seen the growth of Women in motorsport – similar to how we have seen the growth of Women’s football over the last few years?

Abbi: “We were very fortunate that, before all the buzz around the Lionesses’ success in football, there were motorsport championships like W Series that was all-female championship, which had never been done to that level before. Then, obviously, the Lionesses did what they did and have enjoyed enormous success in their last two Euros, and it's changed the landscape fully for us. Women in sport is becoming much more of a norm and much more respected. We now see Women's games on TV regularly - and it's just those small things that shouldn't be a shock, but it is. It's improving and, with that, also the landscape and perception in motorsport is changing.”

How did it feel winning the F1 Academy in 2024?

Abbi: “It was phenomenal. I came into the championship as a dark horse because, in my rookie season in the series, I don't think people expected much of me. I think everyone has their own stories, their own things going on, and it just wasn't my year. So, going into 2024, my second year, I knew what I was capable of and I made sure to remember to champion myself, big myself up. It was an unforgettable year, on the podium for every race, 10 pole positions and nine race wins in 14 races throughout the year. It was absolutely insane and, to do it on the F1 package, where there's so many people watching and so many eyes, not letting that pressure get to you and still performing weekend in, weekend out, it was a really special year, and I learned a lot from that year.”

You have recently announced you will be staying in GB3 this year with Rodin Motorsport – how much are you looking forward to that?

Abbi: “I've been with Rodin Motorsport for four years now, as I was previously in an F4 car for two years in F1 Academy and, then in 2025, I was with them in GB3 for my first season - and I'll be continuing with them doing that again. In my rookie season [in F1 Academy], my first season with them in F4, it was an okay year but, the following year, I did really well and won the F1 Academy. Last year, it was okay, so I'm hoping that this season, I have the same kind of the peaks and troughs - and this season is a peak, hopefully. I'm just ready to start the season now and to go racing again.”

Follow the progress of Abbi on her official instagram - @abbipulling