When Abbi Pulling strapped into her single-seater for the final race of the F1 Academy season, she wasn’t just racing for the championship—she was honing in on a soundtrack only she could hear. The 21-year-old British driver has just clinched the 2024 F1 Academy title in Qatar, cementing her place as a serious rising star in motorsport. But behind her success is a timeless tradition of athletes using music to find their edge. 

Mike Tyson famously chose ‘Ambitions Az a Fighta’ by Tupac Shakur – a song that references him in the outro – as his ring walk. Michael Phelps, who is still the most decorated Olympian in history, had Eminem’s ‘Lose Yourself’ fuel his fury before hitting the water. Meanwhile, Dame Kelly Holmes leaned on the soul of Alicia Keys during her historic double gold medal at the Athens Olympics. For Pulling, music serves as both a motivator and a comfort. Her tastes are as eclectic as they are sweetly ‘retro,’ as she calls them, “I think I was born in the wrong time,” she jokes. This millennial interviewer baulks at a Gen-Z  insisting No Doubt counts as retro, but moving on…

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For Pulling, music is part of the routine, but it’s also just pure joy. Her playlist is all over the place in the best way – Britney Spears’ ‘Toxic‘ one minute, Bill Withers & Grover Washington Jr.’s ‘Just the Two of Us‘ the next, with some 80s anthems and 2000s pop gems like Gwen Stefani’s ‘The Sweet Escape‘ sprinkled in. Her mix of hype tracks and laid-back vibes doesn’t just keep her focused—it’s a window into her fun, eclectic personality. Whether she’s belting out Mika’s ‘Relax, Take It Easy‘ to shake off the nerves or zoning out to something mellow between races, Abbi’s love for music feels as genuine as her drive to win.

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For Pulling, as it has been for many athletes before her, music isn’t just background noise—it’s a ritual. “Before I get in the car, I’ll be listening to songs that hype me up,” she explains. “It gets my heart rate going and helps with nerves. But when there’s a big gap between races, I switch to more relaxing tracks to wind down.” The mix of high-energy tracks and calming melodies is her way of balancing the adrenaline rush of racing with the mental clarity it demands.

We’ll get to watch a little bit of her enthusiasm play out soon. “If you see the Netflix documentary they’re filming,” she says, “you’ll see me constantly singing and dancing before races,” she laughs “I’m always singing at people—annoying them, really.” The release date for the F1 Academy Netflix series is yet to be announced, but we’ve been told to expect it in 2025.  “The race team just leaves me to it now; they know it’s my way of getting in the zone.” 

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Pulling’s love for music isn’t just something she keeps to herself—it’s part of the growing crossover between motorsport and the entertainment world. These days, Formula 1 races are as much about who’s in the paddock as who’s on the podium, with stars like Ed Sheeran, Travis Scott, and Camila Cabello showing up trackside. The intersection between music and motorsport is getting stronger, and Pulling had her own brush with it when she met pop star Mabel – who also happens to be a massive racing fan – and drover her round the track for a hot lap.

“She was such a big motorsport fan before she became a singer,” Abbi recalls. “She told me all these stories about watching Michael Schumacher with her dad when she was younger. I could just tell—she really got it.” But Mabel wasn’t just there for the spectacle. “She wanted to know everything—about the car, how it all works, and what goes into this crazy Formula 1 circus. It was really nice to chat with someone who was so genuinely interested.”

For Pulling, the encounter was a reminder of how these two worlds are starting to overlap in exciting ways. “It’s cool seeing musicians and celebs coming into this space,” she says. “It’s not just about them being fans—they’re really curious about the sport and want to learn more about what we do.”

With more and more big names flocking to the paddock, the lines between music, culture, and motorsport are blurring faster than ever. And for someone like Pulling, who’s as passionate about her playlist as she is about her lap times, it’s a natural fit. “Music and racing are both about rhythm and energy,” she adds. “When those worlds come together, it just makes sense.”

As a trailblazer in women’s motorsport, Pulling is quick to acknowledge the barriers she’s faced, from financial struggles to outdated attitudes. But she’s equally optimistic about the future. “It’s the best time to be a woman in motorsport,” she says. And with F1 Academy giving young female drivers a platform, Pulling is confident that the sport is evolving.

Abbi Pulling’s success on the track is undeniable, but it’s her vibrant personality – with all of it’s dancing and singing in people’s faces –  that make her stand out. Whether she’s yelling Britney Spears lyrics in the paddock or visualising her next race to Tears for Fears, Pulling proves that champions don’t just drive to win—they dance to their own beat.

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