AtanariaIn a major development for both the driver and the team, Nissan has officially announced that 2024 F1 Academy champion Abbi Pulling will join their Formula E squad as a rookie and simulator driver under a multi-year contract.
At just 22 years old, Pulling has already made waves in the motorsport world. She captured attention during last November’s groundbreaking all-women’s Formula E test at Circuito del Jarama in Madrid, where she topped the timesheets, showcasing her raw speed and adaptability in the high-tech GEN3 Evo electric race car.
Pulling’s role with Nissan will be pivotal both on and off the track. She will take part in Rookie Tests, extensive simulator work, and event preparation. Moreover, she will contribute to the setup and development of Nissan’s state-of-the-art bespoke Dynisma simulator ahead of the upcoming Formula E Season 12, helping the team optimize performance in this fiercely competitive electric racing series.
Her racing credentials are impressive. Alongside winning the 2024 F1 Academy title, Pulling made history as the first female to claim a race victory in British F4. She is currently competing in the GB3 Championship, where she demonstrated strong pace by finishing fifth in the season opener at Silverstone.
Expressing her enthusiasm about the new partnership, Pulling said, “I’m really excited to be joining Nissan Formula E Team and extending our collaboration together, after driving for the squad during the all-women’s test in Jarama. Everything the team did for me during the test was so professional. The time and effort put in to make sure I was prepared was great to see, and the crew were patient with me as a rookie.
“The GEN3 Evo car is so unique, especially the 350kW mode in all-wheel drive which was very fun to use! It’s different from anything I’ve driven before, and it took some time to adjust to the increased power. I’m looking forward to my work in the simulator and to take the car on track as well when the opportunities arise.”
Tommaso Volpe, Managing Director and Team Principal at Nissan, praised Pulling’s talent and potential: “We’re very pleased to welcome Abbi to the team as our official rookie and simulator driver on a multi-year agreement. We were very impressed with her speed, commitment, and professionalism during the all-women’s test in Madrid last November, and we’re very happy to extend and formalize our collaboration.
“She is very talented – able to adapt incredibly quickly to the car and comfortably top the timesheets, which is difficult in every category but even more so in Formula E, so she is the perfect candidate to join us in this role. Abbi will have many responsibilities in the position we’ve created for her; we want to give her as much experience as possible, and we are confident that this long-term, continued collaboration will be very beneficial both for the team and for Abbi, to keep developing as a more complete driver.”
This signing marks a significant step forward in Pulling’s promising career and signals Nissan’s commitment to nurturing young talent as they gear up for the next chapter in Formula E.
