Alpine history-maker details importance of shock double podium

Alpine academy driver Abbi Pulling has highlighted the importance of the team's shock double podium in the São Paulo Grand Prix. 

The current F1 Academy championship leader made history last Friday, as she topped the first all-female test to be hosted by an FIA category. 

Formula E ran the test at the Circuito de Jarama just north of Madrid, using the brand-new Gen3 EVO machinery. 

Pulling is very much on the rise and has received support from Alpine, whose livery the 21-year-old runs in F1 Academy. 

The British driver actually missed Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly's São Paulo podiums due to flying to a simulator session, but saw the congratulatory messages between the team. 

Alpine has endured a difficult season which has resulted in further personnel changes; however, the Enstone-based outfit has made significant progress in recent races. 

For the team at Enstone, it was its first double podium since Kimi Raikkonen and Romain Grosjean at the 2013 Korean Grand Prix, back when the team was known as Lotus.

Alpine has risen to sixth in the F1 constructors' title, with Pulling detailing how important the double podium is for morale amongst the employees. 

"I'm so happy for them to have achieved that, they push really hard," Pulling told RacingNews365. "The people back at Enstone really deserve it. 

"I think they've been needing this and it'll give them more motivation, but it also makes them feel like their hard work is paying off. That's really important, I just wish I was there. 

"It looked like an incredible celebration within the team, Pierre and Esteban did a great job. The car seemed to come alive in the wet. So I guess for Las Vegas, Qatar and Abu Dhabi, we will be trying to get it to rain, probably not very likely!

"But, yeah, it was really nice to see the team message some of the boys and girls that work there, and congratulate them. It was a great achievement, and hopefully they continue in a positive trajectory."