F1 Academy winner Abbi Pulling excited about stepping up to GB3

F1 Academy winner Abbi Pulling excited about stepping up to GB3
Abbi Pulling, center, celebrates on the podium after Race 2 of the F1 Academy championship at Abu Dhabi’s Yas Marina Circuit. (X: @f1academy)
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Updated 12 December 2024
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F1 Academy winner Abbi Pulling excited about stepping up to GB3

F1 Academy winner Abbi Pulling excited about stepping up to GB3
  • ‘It’s such a positive time to be a female in motorsport’
  • Brit won record 9 races in the 2024 women-only series

ABU DHABI: In her own words, Abbi Pulling is “living the dream.”

The 21-year-old racing driver wrapped up her historic year on the track by clinching the F1 Academy championship last weekend at Abu Dhabi’s Yas Marina Circuit, where she won two of the three races, and was second in the third.

Overall, Pulling enjoyed a record nine race wins in the female-only series in 2024, along with 10 poles. The Rodin Motorsport driver made the podium in every single race throughout the season.

It was a remarkable step up for the Brit, who admittedly struggled in her first campaign in F1 Academy in 2023, where she went winless to finish fifth in the championship.

“The first year was super hard. The transition from last year to this year, I did a really big deliberate step in my mental attitude and it’s really made the difference this year,” Pulling told Arab News after securing the F1 Academy title.

“I wanted to step up this year and show that I am capable of what I’m capable of and that I can go on to do great things.

“I think this year I’ve done everything I could, at every point I’ve maximized — there was only one race, Zandvoort, where I finished P3. We were fast there but I made a mistake.

“It’s nice and satisfying to be able to come away from a season, knowing that I’ve done almost everything I could. That’s very special.”

What makes Pulling’s year even more special is the fact she was running a dual program, racing in the British F4 Championship alongside the F1 Academy.

In May, she won a race at Brands Hatch — the second stop of the championship — to become the first woman in history to claim a victory in British F4.

Despite missing six races, Pulling finished the 2024 British F4 Championship in seventh place with one win and three podiums.

Her triumph in the F1 Academy comes with a fully funded seat for the GB3 Championship with Rodin Motorsport in 2025. This is a huge relief for Pulling who knows how difficult it can be to secure the finances needed to continue climbing up the motorsport ladder.

After making a promising single-seaters debut in British F4 in 2020 — finishing sixth overall, with four podiums — Pulling had to withdraw from the 2021 championship due to a lack of funding and her future in the sport was unclear.

The W Series — a predecessor to the F1 Academy — came to the rescue as Pulling got a chance to fill in as a reserve driver for the Puma W Series Team. She competed in just four races in 2021 yet finished seventh in the W Series championship with one podium and one pole.

Pulling had a full seat in the W Series in 2022, which she finished in fourth with Racing X. The series unfortunately went into administration and was liquidated. But then came another women-only series to the rescue — The Formula One-backed F1 Academy.

At the start of 2023, Pulling became a full-time member of the Alpine Academy program and made her F1 Academy debut with Rodin Motorsport — a team that one year later would help her make a historic return to British F4 and become the championship’s first female race winner.

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by F1 Academy (@f1academy)

 

“For me, the financial side of things is so important,” said Pulling, excited about her next chapter in GB3. “I had to pull out of a championship in 2021, it was a really tough time.

“But I was so lucky that there was an all-female championship to jump into, that one had everything paid for, and then F1 Academy came along and continued that dream. And for that I’m so grateful, because I wouldn’t be here today without them two organizations taking me on.

“I think you have to put things in perspective. If I was a guy, that would have been the end of the road for me; so I’m trying to make the most out of everything given to me.

“I’m so aware how lucky I am to be in this situation and I just want for the people that either can’t make that first step into karting, or can’t make the jump up into cars, or for whatever reason have to stop, or can’t get in in the first place, I want to do my best for all of them.”

Pulling feels prepared to take that next step up the ladder to GB3, and says she is “living proof” that the F1 Academy can help women transition into higher racing categories in mixed series.

“Obviously paired with a dual program as well,” she added.

“F1 Academy opened me up to the relationship with Rodin Motorsport, which then got me a relationship with Rodin Cars. And then in 2024 I’ve been doing a dual campaign British F4 with Rodin Cars and Rodin Motorsport, and obviously F1 Academy with Alpine Academy and Rodin Motorsport.

“So that alone has opened that door to do a dual campaign, get more seat time. I’m living proof that it’s working.

“Going around to tracks like this, Yas Marina, I wouldn’t have been here without the championship. It’s a very fun track to end the season on.

“They’ve given us plenty of seat time this year, lots of experience managing tires in hot conditions, changeable conditions as well. It’s been a really fun season.”

 

 

Pulling paid tribute to Alpine and believes the Enstone outfit have helped her become a “more well-rounded driver,” placing special emphasis on her physical preparation off the track.

Like any racing driver, Pulling’s dream is to one day land a seat in F1, but even if she does not, she is certain another woman will in the near future.

“There’s not been a wave like this ever (for women in motorsport). I’m going to ride it as long as I can,” she said.

“It’s just such a positive time to be a female in motorsport. It’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when. I don’t know when it will be, but I’m certain that we’ll have a female driving in a Formula 1 car soon.

“And if it’s not me, I hope it’s the girls that I’ve been racing against or a young girl that’s been watching that is inspired by what we’ve been doing.”

Pulling’s motorsport dream was sparked when she was just 3 years old, watching her father, Andy, compete on motorbikes. At age 8, she opted for four wheels instead of two like her father, and by 14 was crowned national junior karting champion back home in the UK.

The rest, as they say, is history, and Pulling has now become the most promising female prospect in the world of motorsport.

Is it what she hoped it would be?

“It’s not always as glitzy or as glamorous as people think, but I’m living the dream,” she said.


Bayern sink Celtic to seize control of Champions League play-off

Bayern sink Celtic to seize control of Champions League play-off
Updated 13 February 2025
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Bayern sink Celtic to seize control of Champions League play-off

Bayern sink Celtic to seize control of Champions League play-off

GLASGOW: Bayern Munich took a major step toward the Champions League last 16 as Michael Olize’s thunderbolt and Harry Kane’s clinical finish secured a 2-1 win at Celtic in the play-off round first leg on Wednesday.

Vincent Kompany’s side dominated the first half and a stunning strike from Olize gave them a deserved lead before Kane maintained his red-hot scoring streak after the interval.

Daizen Maeda netted in the closing stages to give Scottish champions Celtic hope of a miraculous escape act in the second leg.

The Japan forward was only playing after his two-game ban was unexpectedly reduced on appeal this week following his red card against Young Boys.

But Bundesliga leaders Bayern will still be favorites to advance to the last 16 when Celtic visit Munich on February 18.

Celtic finished just three points behind Bayern in the league phase, yet there is a huge gulf between the clubs’ European pedigree.

Six-time European champions Bayern lead the Bundesliga by eight points, while Celtic are attempting to reach the last 16 for the first time since 2012-13.

For the first 70 minutes that chasm in quality was clear to see before Bayern eased up in the closing stages, nearly allowing Celtic back into the tie as a result.

Celtic’s first defeat in 33 home matches across all competitions was a welcome confidence boost for Bayern, who had shown a weakness on the road in league phase defeats at Barcelona, Aston Villa and Feyenoord.

Celtic thought they had preyed on that weakness when former Bayern forward Nicolas Kuhn fired home from 20 yards inside the first minute, only for the goal to be disallowed for offside against Adam Idah.

Bayern could have been swept away by the tidal wave of noise cascading down from the Parkhead stands.

But Kompany’s men are too experienced for that and they quickly seized control with a steady diet of possession.

Olize nearly put Bayern ahead with a powerful strike that forced Kasper Schmeichel to save at his near post.

Schmeichel was forced into action again moments later as Kane’s curler was pushed away by the Dane.

Bayern were camped on the edge of the Celtic area as they probed for an opener.

Kane should have broken the deadlock when he nodded Olize’s corner into the side-netting from close-range.

But the England captain’s blushes were spared by Olize on the stroke of half-time.

Cutting inside Greg Taylor to reach Dayot Upamecano’s long pass, Olize unleashed a blistering drive that arrowed into the top corner from 15 yards.

It was no more than Bayern deserved for their territorial dominance and the Germans struck again four minutes after the interval.

Joshua Kimmich’s corner swung all the way to the far post without a Celtic clearance and the unmarked Kane guided a composed volley past Schmeichel from five yards.

Kane’s typically predatory finish took his season tally to 29 goals in 29 games in all competitions.

Upamecano’s challenge on Arne Engels prompted a long VAR check for a potential penalty, but Celtic’s appeal was correctly rejected.

That was the signal for Celtic to mount a late bid to haul themselves back into the tie.

Bayern had grown increasingly sloppy and Rodgers’ men earned their lifeline in the 79th minute when Maeda met Yang Hyun-Jun’s shot with a header from virtually on the line.

Kompany’s men had to cling on for dear life in the final minutes, with Manuel Neuer producing a crucial save to deny Alistair Johnston.


Al-Taawoun held in Qatar but look well placed to advance in tournament

Al-Taawoun held in Qatar but look well placed to advance in tournament
Updated 13 February 2025
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Al-Taawoun held in Qatar but look well placed to advance in tournament

Al-Taawoun held in Qatar but look well placed to advance in tournament
  • Martinez burst into the penalty area and fired a low shot past the goalkeeper to put Al-Taawoun 2-1 ahead
  • Al-Wakrah were not beaten and with 20 minutes remaining were back on level terms, thanks to a well-taken goal from Gelson Dala

Al-Taawoun drew 2-2 with Al-Wakrah of Qatar on Wednesday in the first leg of their round of 16 clash in AFC Champions League Two.

After taking the lead twice, to come away with a draw may have been a little disappointing, but the result puts the Saudi Arabian team within sight of advancing in the continental competition toward a major piece of silverware.

With fine results from Al-Hilal, Al-Ahli and Al-Nassr in the Champions League Elite — with all three teams already booking a place in the knockout stage of Asia’s premier tournament — their Saudi Pro League counterparts are now in a good position to go deeper in the continent’s second-tier competition.

The return match takes place in Buraidah next week and Al-Taawoun, who finished top of Group B in the first round, are the favorites to progress against their Qatari opponents, but there is still some work to do.

The visitors from Saudi Arabia were ahead after just 12 minutes at Khalifa International Stadium. Roger Martinez was brought down in the area and after the referee pointed to the spot, up stepped Aschraf El-Mahdioui to fire home the resultant penalty.

Al-Taawoun had chances in the first half to extend their lead but were left to regret those missed opportunities 10 minutes after the restart as the team from Qatar equalized, Ayoub Assal scoring at the far post after connecting with Farid Boulaya’s cross.

The Saudi Arabians were back in front just after the hour after Martinez burst into the penalty area and fired a low shot past the goalkeeper.

However, Al-Wakrah were not beaten and with 20 minutes remaining were back on level terms, thanks to a well-taken goal from Gelson Dala who shot home from just outside the six-yard box after good work from Boulaya on the left. 

The second leg takes place at the home of Al-Taawoun next Wednesday.


Dodgeball booth attracts over 600 visitors at Expo Sports for All 

Dodgeball booth attracts over 600 visitors at Expo Sports for All 
Updated 12 February 2025
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Dodgeball booth attracts over 600 visitors at Expo Sports for All 

Dodgeball booth attracts over 600 visitors at Expo Sports for All 
  • Event was attended by President of the Saudi Dodgeball Federation Prince Saud bin Abdulaziz bin Mohammed Al-Saud
  • Booth provided visitors with the opportunity to experience the sport firsthand and attend training sessions

RIYADH: The Saudi Dodgeball Federation’s booth at the Sports for All Expo, held in Diriyah, captured the attention of participants throughout the three-day exhibition, which recently concluded.

The Saudi Dodgeball Federation set up its booth at the expo to introduce the sport and showcase its recent achievements, particularly in expanding its player base across the Kingdom. The booth also highlighted the federation’s future plans and strategies. The event was attended by President of the Saudi Dodgeball Federation Prince Saud bin Abdulaziz bin Mohammed Al-Saud.

Visitors had the opportunity of registering at the booth through a specialized QR code, which would allow them to attend training sessions in various cities across the Kingdom and potentially join as players.

The participation of the Saudi Dodgeball Federation in the Expo Sports for All aligns with its efforts to promote the sport, especially since one of the expo’s main objectives is to introduce new sports and offer visitors of all ages a fun and beneficial athletic experience.

Looking ahead to 2025, the Saudi Dodgeball Federation aims to continue achieving milestones that enhance the sport’s status in Saudi society. The federation also seeks to contribute to the goals of Vision 2030 by promoting a more active society and working towards building strong national teams.


Rizwan and Salman smash tons as Pakistan defeat South Africa in record chase

Rizwan and Salman smash tons as Pakistan defeat South Africa in record chase
Updated 12 February 2025
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Rizwan and Salman smash tons as Pakistan defeat South Africa in record chase

Rizwan and Salman smash tons as Pakistan defeat South Africa in record chase
  • Pakistan will face New Zealand on Feb. 14 in final of tri-series, a warm-up for Champions Trophy tournament 
  • Rizwan and Salman built a match-changing stand of 260, a new record for the fourth wicket for the green shirts

KARACHI: Mohammad Rizwan and Salman Agha cracked centuries to guide Pakistan into the tri-series final with a thumping six-wicket win over South Africa in Karachi on Wednesday.

Rizwan led Pakistan’s highest successful chase in all one-day internationals of 353 in 49 overs with a magnificent 122 not out while Salman slammed 134 for his maiden century at the National Stadium.

Pakistan will now face New Zealand at the same venue on Friday in the final of the event which is a key warm-up for the Champions Trophy which starts next week.

The hundreds made by Rizwan and Salman overshadowed Matthew Breetzke’s record of scoring most runs by a batsman in his first two one-day internationals of 150 and 83.

Breetzke’s innings had set up an imposing South Africa total of 352-5.

Rizwan and Salman built a match-changing stand of 260, a new record for the fourth wicket for Pakistan, improving on the 206 scored by Shoaib Malik and Younis Khan against India at Centurion in 2009.

Their blistering innings should also erase doubts over the team’s vulnerable batting as they improved on Pakistan’s previous highest successful chase of 349 against Australia in Lahore in 2022.

Rizwan hit nine boundaries and three sixes off 128 balls while Salman’s 103-ball knock had 16 boundaries and two sixes.

Earlier, Breetzke followed his highest-ever debut score against New Zealand in Lahore on Monday with an attractive 84-ball 83, spiced with a six and 10 boundaries, after South Africa won the toss.

Breetzke bettered West Indian Desmond Haynes’s aggregate of 195 runs in his first two matches in 1978 before he fell to a brilliant catch off spinner Khushdil Shah.

Pakistan’s vaunted bowling attack failed to stop the tourists from scoring a big total, with skipper Temba Bavuma (82) and Heinrich Klaasen (87) also chipping in.

With wickets not falling, frustrated Pakistan fast bowler Shaheen Afridi angrily clashed with Breetzke as the batsman attempted to complete a run.

Shaheen made physical contact and exchanged words with his rival before umpire Asif Yaqoob separated the pair.

Bavuma and Tony de Zorzi (22), one of four changes in the South African team, put on 51 for the opening stand. The captain then built a second-wicket stand of 119 with Breetzke.

Bavuma was run out after cracking 13 boundaries in his 96-ball knock.

Klaasen lifted the tempo with a rapid 56-ball knock, smashing three sixes and 11 boundaries as the South Africans added 110 runs in the last 10 overs.

Kyle Verreynne and Corbin Bosch remained not out with 44 and 15 respectively to take South Africa past 350.


The DP World ILT20 is maturing

The DP World ILT20 is maturing
Updated 12 February 2025
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The DP World ILT20 is maturing

The DP World ILT20 is maturing
  • As tournaments grow, historical performance begins to generate rivalries

LONDON: After much jostling for position between the eight teams in the round robin group stages of ILT20 2025, the two finalists which emerged were beaten finalists in the two previous years.

In 2023, the Desert Vipers were beaten by the Gulf Giants and in 2024 MI Emirates defeated the Dubai Capitals. Thus, it was guaranteed that 2025 would see first-time champions.

Although the Vipers had led the way in the group stage, the Capitals seemed to have a hold over them, having beaten them in both group stage matches. This ascendancy was confirmed when the Capitals triumphed off the last ball of the first qualifier to condemn the Vipers to the second qualifier and elevate the Capitals directly to the final.

The Vipers then reached the final via the second qualifier by beating the Sharjah Warriorz, who improved on their 2024 performance by some measure. 

As tournaments mature, historical performance begins to generate rivalries. The one between the Capitals and the Vipers has begun to do that. In the final, there was added piquancy in that both captains were English and both have played for England.

Sam Curran captained the Desert Vipers because the appointed captain, Lockie Ferguson, had suffered a hamstring injury toward the close of the first qualifying match against the Delhi Capitals. This ruled him out of the rest of the tournament.  

On the revolving circus that is franchise cricket, Sam Billings, the Capitals captain, had previously played with the Vipers in 2023. Who knows how much his release from them motivates him when pitted against his former team. This year, Billings joined the Vipers squad in time for the final two group stage matches after playing in the final of the Big Bash in Australia.

His impact seems to have been immediate and, confident as he is, he will play that down. Captaining and organizing a group of elite cricketers is a special skill and Billings honed this to perfection in this year’s tournament.

Each team, their captains and coaches talk of game plans. These are framed according to the squad’s own strengths and weaknesses relative to those of the opposition. After the final, Billings talked of being blown off the Capitals’ game plan by the loss of early wickets in pursuit of a target of 190. At 31 for three after 4.5 overs, the Capitals were in some trouble.

This situation looked to worsen for them at the beginning of the eighth over when Rovman Powell was given out stumped, following a smart piece of wicketkeeping by Azam Khan down the leg side. The score was 46 for four, but drama ensued.

As Powell trudged off the field, he was asked to wait while the third umpire checked the dismissal. There are moments in cricket which are arcane and quite difficult for the uninitiated to comprehend. What unfolded was one of those moments.

Law 27.3.1 states that “The wicketkeeper shall remain wholly behind the wicket at the striker’s end from the moment the ball comes into play until a ball delivered by the bowler touches the bat or person of the striker or passes the wicket at the striker’s end or the striker attempts a run.”

Law 27.3.2 then states that “In the event of the wicketkeeper contravening this law, the striker’s end umpire shall call and signal no-ball as soon as applicable after the delivery of the ball.”

After reviewing the action, the third umpire ruled that the wicketkeeper had not taken the ball with his hands fully behind the stumps. In this case it was millimeters of one, maybe, two fingers.   

Powell was reprieved, a no-ball was awarded and, to add insult to injury for the Vipers, Powell hit the next ball, which was a free hit, for six. He then went on to club 63 runs, setting the base for some brutal hitting in the final overs by Dasun Shanaka and Sikandar Raza.

Ultimately, their experience triumphed over some inexperienced bowling at the close of the innings. Billings referred to this in his post-match interview as a facet recognized in their game plan.

The stumping decision was the seminal moment in the match. It seemed harsh on Khan, who had reacted superbly to the ball as it passed the batter down the leg side, pouching it in his left hand, before breaking the stumps with the ball in both hands.

Spectators do not have the benefit of seeing the action in slow motion, multiple times, as did the third umpire, and can only defer to that superior position.

In this context it is ironic that, prior to the match, Simon Taufel, who leads the tournament’s panel of officials, made himself available to talk to members of the press. Taufel, widely regarded as one of the best umpires in the history of the sport, stood as an elite umpire between 2000 and 2012.

He stressed the high caliber of umpires on the ILT20 panel and the developmental work which it does to build local umpiring capacity. 

Top level professional cricket matches require not just two on-field umpires, but a third off-field umpire and a match referee. Throughout ILT20 2025, Taufel and the former Sri Lankan player Roshan Mahanama have acted as match referees.

He referred to their role as one of assessors. This necessitates a report on each official for each of the 34 matches played in the tournament.

The tournament had deployed two specialist TV umpires and Taufel was keen to point out that, up to that point in the tournament, the third umpire had not made a mistake. Furthermore, the on-field umpires had got 92 percent of decisions correct. The stumping incident arose to test those levels in the tournament’s pinnacle match.

In-match decisions by officials are the visible part of their jobs. Taufel emphasized the amount of training and preparation which goes on behind the scenes. He revealed that officials have coaches who push and support their development.

A part of his work and that of his panel is to raise the standards of officiating alongside those of the playing strength. This is in line with the objective of growing cricket in the UAE, not just for players but also the landscape for officials, both men and women.

The creation of pathways of opportunity means providing access to international standards. Local officials are given opportunities to shadow experienced international officials. An international coach was engaged for the first week of the tournament to develop local talent. Taufel said that he had been impressed by the passion and enthusiasm of this talent, their eagerness to learn and their aspirations to officiate on the international stage.

This developmental theme was echoed afterwards in a separate interview with David White, the CEO of the DP World ILT20. I asked him when he expects the startup status, which he has accorded the tournament in previous discussions, to develop into something more mature. His reply was to reveal that he thinks it has gone past that stage.

This view is based on heightened levels of competition between teams, much enhanced social media awareness, and attraction of world-class players and officials, coupled with clear evidence of developing local UAE talent.

Another criterion which will be used to judge this, once data becomes available, is audience viewing figures. Apparently, initial indications are of an upward trend. All of this bodes well for the tournament in the increasingly competitive world of franchise cricket.