Race and classic pictures

Abbi pulling her weight in F1 Academy

Alpine protégé Abbi Pulling extended her lead in the F1 Academy championship with back-to-back wins on the streets of Miami last weekend and her third consecutive triumph in the all-female junior series.

On Saturday, the Rodin Motorsport charger finished over 5 seconds clear of Prema’s Dorian Pin, with Campos Racing’s Chloe Chambers completing the podium.

On Sunday, Pulling brought home another comfortable victory, with McLaren-supported Bianca Bustamante finishing a jubilant second while Pin clocked in third.

Pulling leaves Miami with a 34-point lead at the top of the F1 Academy’s Drivers Standings on 99 points. Pin remains second on 65, 14 points clear of Prema Racing teammate Maya Weug.

“It was so nice had to do it twice,” comment Abbi.

“Back-to-back wins in Miami. Not sure I can find the words right now to say how it feels, but I’m overwhelmed by the incredible support not just from you, but my incredible teams at Rodin Motorsport and Alpine.

“I’m looking forward to heading back to base, recharge those batteries and go again!”

The F1 Academy series will resume with round 3 at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on June 21-23.

Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.