Alisha Palmowski sweeps Day One of F1 ACADEMY’s Zandvoort test

Palmowski sets the benchmark

Alisha Palmowski established herself as the driver to beat on the opening day of in-season testing at Circuit Zandvoort, topping both the morning and afternoon sessions. The Red Bull Racing driver set a 1:37.146 in the first session before returning to the top in the afternoon with a 1:37.200, finishing five tenths clear of Emma Felbermayr.

Red flags interrupt the morning

The opening session began cautiously, with only a handful of reconnaissance laps completed during the first hour. Palmowski then moved from a 1:40.241 to a 1:37.146 across her next four laps, going two tenths faster than Alba Larsen.

Ella Lloyd finished third, 0.281 seconds behind Palmowski, ahead of Lisa Billard and Felbermayr. Rachel Robertson, Nina Gademan, Ferreira, Kosterman and Natalia Granada completed the top 10.

Afternoon pace remains with Palmowski

Lloyd was the early pace-setter in the afternoon, but Felbermayr, Lloyd and Billard traded the lead as the times fell. Billard, making her first appearance at Zandvoort, lowered the benchmark to 1:38.111, while Lloyd later posted 1:37.805 and Felbermayr set a 1:37.726.

Palmowski then delivered the decisive lap: a 1:37.200 that put the Red Bull Racing car five tenths clear of Felbermayr’s #5 Audi. A brief red flag followed when Palmowski reached the gravel at Turn 7, while Jade Jacquet later hit the barrier at Turn 9.

Neither interruption changed the order at the front. Felbermayr ended the afternoon second, followed by Lloyd, Robertson, Granada and Gademan. Billard was seventh, ahead of Kosterman, Larsen and Payton Westcott.

Day 2 is scheduled to begin at 08:30 local time (UTC+1).