Racing driver to feature in Netflix documentary

Abbi Pulling celebrates after winning Round 2 of the F1 Academy at Miami International Autodrome in Florida

A racing driver from Lincolnshire is set to star in a new Netflix documentary following the progress of the all-female F1 Academy championship.

Abbi Pulling, from Gosberton, drives for the Rodin Motorsport team and recently became the first female driver to top the podium in a Formula 4 race.

The documentary is being produced by Reese Witherspoon's Hello Sunshine production company.

Pulling said the global audience the documentary could potentially bring would be "huge for the sport".

Discussing the documentary, she said it was a sign of "how much attention" the sport was now receiving.

The 21-year-old added that the interest illustrated the "very impressive" achievements of the championship, and said she was excited to show people what happens behind the scenes.

"It's not just turning a wheel and pushing pedals," she added. "You actually do more off track than you do on track as a racing driver, 90% of your time is prepping for the next time you're in a car."

News of the production follows on from the success of the Netflix Formula 1 documentary Drive to Survive, and Pulling hopes that this series could have a similar impact.

She said the series significantly increased the audience of Formula One and added it was great to get F1 Academy "in front of a female audience".

Abbi Pulling is currently top of the F1 Academy points table

The multi-part documentary will feature all the action in the 2024 series, giving viewers a look at the personal stories of the drivers, their teams and their families as they continue breaking barriers in a male-dominated industry.

Witherspoon said she was excited to tell the story of the "dynamic and fearless drivers breaking barriers behind the wheel".

"What we know is that when we put women at the centre, people show up to watch,” she added.

The series release date hasn't been announced yet, but is expected to air in 2025.

Follow BBC Lincolnshire on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [e-mail]