JHR Developments has confirmed Abbi Pulling will return to the team to put together a bid for the 2021 F4 British Championship certified by FIA – powered by Ford EcoBoost title.
After impressing in her debut year with the team in 2020, scoring four podiums on the way to a very solid sixth place championship finish, the 17-year old is back for a sophomore campaign in an attempt at championship glory in 2021, where experience could be key amidst a raft of new drivers entering the series this year.
Pulling had a very busy and successful 2020 aside from her full-time British F4 commitments, becoming the last recipient of the Joe Tandy Memorial Award for her seasons’s efforts, as well as making her debut in the final season of the Formula Renault Eurocup at the hallowed Imola circuit in Italy.
Before joining Steven Hunter’s Derbyshire-based last season, Pulling had a very impressive junior career with wins and strong performances in karting, Ginetta Juniors as well as the higher performance GT5 category that also runs on the same TOCA package as the British F4 Championship.
She will join the previously announced McKenzy Cresswell and Matthew Rees at the front-running squad, with one further driver to be unveiled later this week.
“Last year I gained lots of experience, so coming back and challenging for the title will be good. In the off-season, despite not being in the car, I think I have matured as a driver and understand everything more than I did last year. I feel confident in myself, the team and the people I have around me, such as Gazing Performance Systems and Alice Powell, so it will be great to have all these people in my corner.
“Alice has so much experience in racing and is doing everything she can to pass that on to me, to help me get to the highest levels of motorsport, which I am so grateful for,” Pulling continued. We only started working together halfway through last season, so to work together for the whole year fills me with confidence.
“My first day testing the car since November went really well and I felt like I did some of the best laps I have ever driven. The team and I worked on the set up, I was confident with the feedback I gave, and we just want to keep improving. I understand a lot more about how the car reacts and I have belief in my and the team’s ability.” explained Pulling.
JHR Team Principal Steven Hunter expressed his delight at retaining Abbi’s services for 2021, and looks forward to what the duo can achieve in their second year together.
“We are really happy that Abbi is returning for another year in F4 with the team. Her talent and ability were clear for everyone to see and her ability to consistently make improvements in her rookie season was fantastic, so it was fitting she was given the Joe Tandy Memorial Award in recognition of that.
“She has had some seat time in more powerful machinery and that, coupled with how closely she works with Alice Powell, mean that her understanding of the car has increased significantly. She has gained confidence in herself and her abilities, and we really just can’t wait to get out on track and see what she can achieve.” said Hunter.
The British F4 season begins at Thruxton, Hampshire on the 08-09 May.
