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Alpine Formula 1 affiliate driver Abbi Pulling is among the latest four female drivers to receive an FIA Formula 3 test as part of F1’s push to “provide more opportunities for women across single-seater racing”.
Pulling will be joined by fellow W Series drivers Chloe Chambers and Tereza Babickova as well as Formula Regional European driver Hamda Al Qubaisi at a two-day test at former French Grand Prix venue Magny-Cours across September 16-17.
Great news alert! 🚨@AbbiPulling will take part in a Formula 3 test later this month alongside three other women. 👏@FIAFormula3 pic.twitter.com/YoAxKaw6Hm
— BWT Alpine F1 Team (@AlpineF1Team) September 6, 2022
Each driver will get a full day of testing with the aim of “introducing them to the category, its car and different set-ups, along with the demands and challenges of its environment”.
The test will be similar to the FIA F3 test held last November at the same circuit for three-time W Series podium finisher Nerea Marti, Russian Irina Sidorkova – who hasn’t raced since her forced absence from W Series’ COTA finale due to a visa rejection – as well as Iron Dames drivers Maya Weug and Doriane Pin.
“It’s very important to us to ensure that more and more female drivers join our championship. Diversity is one of our key discussions regarding the future of motorsport,” Formula 2 and FIA F3 CEO Bruno Michel said.
“We initiated these dedicated F3 tests last year, [and the drivers] all said how beneficial this one-day test had been to their understanding of the demands of our championship.
“We selected four new drivers for this year, as we follow closely not only the W Series but also female drivers in other categories.
“The purpose of this test is not to compare their performance, but it is an opportunity for them to understand what is required from an F3 driver from every aspect, so that they can prepare for the challenges when they progress to our championship, hopefully in the near future.”
It follows F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali’s promise of “some action” after admitting it was “very unlikely” there would be a female driver in F1 within the next five years.
“Providing more opportunities for women drivers across single-seater racing is a key priority for all of us at Formula 1 and across the whole sport,” Domenicali added.
“This test, the second of its kind, will provide real opportunity for these four talented drivers to demonstrate their potential to teams and make the case for a competitive seat in years to come.”
Pulling joined Alpine’s F1 junior programme as an affiliate driver this year ahead of her first full season in W Series where she currently sits fourth, just three points adrift of second place in the drivers’ championship.
She told The Race earlier this year that her intention was to step up to FIA F3 in 2024 after spending a second full season in W Series next year.
Pulling – along with her mentor, Alpine colleague, W Series rival and friend Alice Powell – called for F2 and FIA F3 to introduce powersteering to ease the physical barriers that women face on the single-seater ladder.
They also called for more patience when judging a prospective female F1 driver because of the different physical peak ages of females and males.
“I hope to make the most out of the day and understand further what it will take to get to the next step and where I aim to hopefully compete one day,” Pulling said of the upcoming F3 test.
“To get the chance to drive this kind of machinery means a lot to me and I’m expecting it to be very different to what I am used to driving. However, I’m looking forward to the challenge and trust that I will get the support I need from the team to adapt and learn as much as possible.”
American driver Chambers has one point to her name after six races while Czech single-seater debutant Babickova is without a point and has yet to finish higher than 12th.
Al Qubaisi is most famous for winning races in Formula 4 UAE in the winter of 2020 and 2021 but is struggling in her first year in Regional F3 as she’s 37th in the drivers’ championship without a finish inside the top 25.
Sophia Floersch was the last female driver to race in FIA F3 when she raced for Campos in 2020 but did not score a point.
The last female driver to score points in the series was Tatiana Calderon, who scored points in 11 of the 51 races she competed in across 2016-18 in FIA F3’s predecessor GP3 before she moved onto F2, Super Formula and IndyCar.
