Jordan's Track Talk

Tag: Rookie

  • Pulling signs multi-year deal with Nissan

    Nissan have announced that 2024 F1 Academy champion, Abbi Pulling will be joining the Japanese team as rookie and simulator driver on a multi-year agreement.

    The 22 year old impressed the Formula E paddock last November at Circuito del Jarama in Madrid, topping the timesheets in the first ever all women’s session.

    Pulling will become an important member of the team both on and off the track, taking part in Rookie Tests, simulator work and event preparation, as well as in the initial set-up of the squad’s new state-of-the-art, bespoke Dynisma simulator ahead of Season 12.

    Considered as one of the most promising young drivers in world motorsport, Pulling has a strong racing CV. In addition to her superb title-winning 2024 F1 Academy season, she also became the first female driver to take a race victory in British F4, and has been competing in GB3 this year, finishing a strong fifth in the season-opener at Silverstone.

    I’m really excited to be joining Nissan Formula E Team and extending our collaboration together, after driving for the squad during the all-women’s test in Jarama. Everything the team did for me during the test was so professional. The time and effort put in to make sure I was prepared was great to see, and the crew were patient with me as a rookie. The GEN3 Evo car is so unique, especially the 350kW mode in all-wheel drive which was very fun to use! It’s different from anything I’ve driven before, and it took some time to adjust to the increased power. I’m looking forward to my work in the simulator and to take the car on track as well when the opportunities arise.
    Pulling on the news.

    We’re very pleased to welcome Abbi to the team as our official rookie and simulator driver on a multi-year agreement. We were very impressed with her speed, commitment, and professionalism during the all-women’s test in Madrid last November, and we’re very happy to extend and formalize our collaboration. She is very talented – she was able to adapt incredibly quickly to the car and comfortably top the timesheets, which is difficult in every category but even more so in Formula E, so she is the perfect candidate to join us in this role. Abbi will have many responsibilities in the position we’ve created for her; we want to give her as much experience as possible and we are confident that this long-term, continued collaboration will be very beneficial both for the team and for Abbi, to keep developing as a more complete driver.
    Tommaso Volpe, Managing Director & Team Principal.

  • Vesti to make F1 debut for Mercedes

    Mercedes junior driver and F2 championship contender Frederik Vesti will take part in an official F1 session for the first time later this year, during Free Practice 1 in Mexico.

    Vesti, 21, sits second in the F2 standings – 12 points behind Sauber-backed Theo Pourchaire with three rounds remaining, having claimed four wins and seven podium finishes so far this season.

    Having made his F1 test debut with Mercedes at the end of 2022 season in Abu Dhabi, the Danish driver’s next step will be the opening 60 minute session at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.

    Each Formula 1 team is required to run a rookie driver in two FP1 sessions across the season, defined as a racer with less than two grand prix of experience.

    Toto Wolff believes that with Vesti impressing in Formula 2, this FP1 outing will now serve as the next key step in his progression.

    I’m incredibly proud to be doing the FP1 session in Mexico City with the team – it’s a dream come true. To think in less than two months that I’ll be doing my first official Formula 1 session with Mercedes, who have won eight consecutive constructors’ championships, is amazing. This has been my dream since I was very young and something I’ve been fighting for through my whole junior career. It’s taken a lot of hard work, and this is a very important step for me on my journey. This has been my dream since I was very young and something I’ve been fighting for through my whole junior career. It’s taken a lot of hard work, and this is a very important step for me on my journey. I want to thank Mercedes for this incredible opportunity, as well as my sponsors and manager for always believing in me. I can’t wait to be driving W14 for the first time.

    Vesti on the test.

    Fred has executed an impressive Formula 2 campaign so far this season. Driving in an FP1 session is the next step in his development and we’re looking forward to giving him that opportunity. Fred has executed an impressive Formula 2 campaign so far this season. Driving in an FP1 session is the next step in his development and we’re looking forward to giving him that opportunity.

    Mercedes team boss, Toto Wolff.