Britain’s Abbi Pulling made history by finishing fastest in the first all-female Formula E testing session.
The 21-year-old, driving for Nissan, was quickest of 18 of the world’s top female drivers in Spain.
“It was extremely physically demanding – I wasn’t quite expecting that,” said Pulling, who currently leads the F1 Academy standings.
“I work hard in the gym, but the new tyres made it a real challenge. I couldn’t quite get the maximum I wanted out of the car.”
All 11 teams in the electric racing series fielded at least one driver at Circuito de Jarama near Madrid as part of its long-term strategy “to remove barriers and expand opportunities for women” in motorsport.
Originally scheduled to take place in Valencia, the usual home of Formula E pre-season testing, the event was moved to the Spanish capital after devastating floods in the Valencia region led to the deaths of more than 200 people.
The women, who hail from different forms of motorsport, took to the track during a three-hour session on Friday in the latest Gen3 Evo car, set to be used in the upcoming 2025 season.
It is capable of doing 0-60mph in 1.82 seconds, 30% faster than a Formula 1 car.
Pulling recorded one minute 30.88 seconds, 3.4 seconds off Formula E’s Mitch Evans who claimed the fastest lap in Thursday’s men’s test on the same track for Jaguar TCS racing.
“It’s not too bad considering the limited run we had,” Pulling said. “But I wanted to be closer.”
Seven-time W Series champion Jamie Chadwick was second, with McLaren’s Bianca Bustamante third fastest.