Official F1 Journal F1 Academy Race 1 Round Up- Saudi Arabia

Doriane Pin dominated Qualifying by over 7 tenths of a second in her Prema ahead of Abbi Pulling who left nothing on the track trying to beat the rapid Pin in her Rodin Motorsport car with Ferrari backed Weug in 3rd who finished over a second down on Pole. Wild card driver Reema Juffali in her Muhra car will be taking part for this weekend. Reema is the 1st female Saudi Arabian racing driver and racing in her home country is a landmark moment in her career and for female motor racing as a whole with women only gaining the right to drive in Saudi Arabia in 2018. Lia Block(daughter of the late, great Ken Block) had a great first day in Single seaters qualifying 7th. Lia moved from American Rally to the F1 Academy trading 4 wheel drive for an open cockpit and to race against the fastest women on the planet. 
On to Race 1 of the weekend and Race 1 of the 2024 season.

Race 1 -Saudi Arabia 

The drama started early with Mclaren's Bustamante  struggled to get away for the formation lap but after a few jolts forward the Filipino driver got away to join the rest of the pack. 
They were held on the grid for a long time before they were sent around for a 2nd Formation lap.
Off the start Pin got away well, Pulling couldn't have a look into the 1st chicane, all 16 cars got away clean, but Bianca Bustamante had a moment at turn 5 and took a lot of curb. Hamna Qubaisi was fighting for 12th in her Redbull livery car,  Chambers tried a move on Bustamante both going deep and allowing Block closer as Bustamante was told to box her ART car with talk of a puncture over the radio. She didn't pit and carried on but was not happy with the car.  
Lap 3 Nobel passed on Hausmann before she took the place back, while Bustamante cut the 1st corner again as Yellow flags came out for Reema Juffali & Amna Al Qubaisi who came together. The yellow flag was quickly escalated to a safety car but not before Chambers got past the struggling Bustamante.  

Lap 5 and they got going again, Pin backed the pack up, waiting to run till the last second leaving Pulling with Weug on the back of her attempting a move round the outside of turn1 but didn't make it stick. Block is the next in line to attack Bustamante  as Hausmann was  gaining on Block, having a look at the back of the Williams livery car. 
Juffali, De Heus & Schreiner went wheel to wheel, corner for corner having a great battle at the back of the grid.
Lap 6 and Edgar managed to jump both Lia Block and Hausmann while the 2 were fighting each other down the straight but it was short lives as Jess Edgar got a puncture when Hausmann's front wing touched her rear right tyre during the move and forced her down the order. 

Hamna Qubaisi and Nobel had a great baack and forth for 10th place with Schreiner joining the fight and making it 3 cars into turn 1 with Hamna cutting the corner to take the place from Nobel but giving the place back later in the lap. 
3 Laps to go Pin was 1.192 ahead of Pulling who herself had pulled out a 3 second gap back to 3rd place Weug. Marti had held on to 4th with Lovinfosse 5th. 
Just a lap later and Pulling had the gap down to under a second but was struggling to make any meaningful dent in Pin's lead. Bastamante had held on to 7th with Block close behind after a troubled start to the race and enough trips off the circuit she got a black and white flag for track limits.
Lap 11 Yellow Flags out for Lia Block who took to much kerb through the chicane, making her spin and drop to 16th and last. 

Last lap and Lovinfosse tried to make a move on Marti and clipped the rear wheel of the Hilfiger car taking Marti out of the race but Lovinfosse managing to keep 5th place. 
The leading pair now started to fight over the point for fastest lap with Prema wanting Pin to bring home every available point today but Pulling just bested her taking 2nd and the fastest lap. 

Pin showed real dominance but Abbi Pulling getting as close as she did at the end of Race 1 will defiantly push er on in Race 2 to catch and pass the now Championship leader Pin. 
It was a really great race by all the women involved but on this World Women's Day the F1 Academy did the world Proud showing that female racing is alive, well and thriving on the F1 Calendar. 
On to Race 2 with Pin starting on Pole and Pulling right behind her in 2nd hoping to take her first win of 2024!

Race 1 Result 

1 PIN
2 PUL +0.848 FL
3WEU +6.918
4 CHA +11.695
5 LOV +13.256
6 BUS +13.956
7 HAU +20.053
8 NOB +22.741
9 HAL +23.415
10 SCH +24.653
11 JUF +25.025
12 DEH +26.021
13 AAL +40.321
14 MAR + 1 LAP
15 EDG +1 LAP
​16 BLO  + 1 LAP 

Joanna Blackmore 
​Writer @f1journal.co.uk