Alisha Palmowski Takes F1 Academy Pole at Zandvoort After Wet-to-Dry Qualifying
Palmowski answers back at Zandvoort
Alisha Palmowski responded to a difficult Free Practice session in emphatic fashion, taking pole position for the F1 Academy weekend at Circuit Zandvoort. The championship leader had been only 10th in practice, where hometown driver Nina Gademan set the pace, but Palmowski delivered when the session mattered.
Her performance also underlined the unpredictable conditions expected at the Dutch circuit. F1 Academy returned to action after a long break, with the weekendâs key storylines already set out in the Zandvoort round preview, before the championship battle moved into qualifying.
A qualifying session shaped by changing conditions
The 30-minute session began on a wet track, with 15 of the 18 drivers heading out as light rain continued. Alba Larsen established the opening benchmark with a 1:48.188, while Palmowski initially found trouble, running into the gravel on her second lap.
The Red Bull-backed driver recovered quickly, posting a 1:48.038 to move ahead of Larsen. Ella Lloyd then climbed into third after returning to the pits to adjust her tyre pressure, producing a purple middle sector on her first flying lap.
The early running was interrupted by two red flags. Granada was unable to complete a promising lap after setting two purple sectors, while Lisa Billard came to a halt in the gravel with just over 10 minutes remaining. Her car avoided the barrier, but the incident ended her session while she sat ninth.
As the circuit dried, the field switched progressively to slick tyres. Lloyd initially stayed on wets and set the benchmark at 1:45.181, with wildcard Zoe Florescu moving into second and Mathilda Paatz taking third. Rafaela Ferreira later hit the barrier, damaging her wing and tyre and bringing her session to an early conclusion.
Palmowski finds the decisive lap
Larsen briefly reclaimed provisional pole with a 1:41.775, but traffic made the final moments increasingly tense. Palmowski saved her best effort for the last push, setting a 1:40.911 to secure another pole position of the season.
Larsen finished second, ahead of Natalia Granada, Emma Felbermayr and Gademan. Rachael Robertson, Florescu, Megan Bruce, Payton Westcott and Jade Jaquet completed the top 10.
Reverse Grid Race next
Bruceâs eighth-place qualifying result gives her pole for the Reverse Grid Race. The race is scheduled to begin at 14:35 CEST, with Palmowskiâs championship momentum now facing its first test of the Zandvoort weekend.
Ciara Gillan
Ciara is a Dublin native, award-winning film producer, podcaster and writer with 20 years of storytelling experience. A lifelong Leinster and Ireland rugby fan, she turned her attention to the grid after moving to Berlin and co-founding Formula Live Pulse. Now, she applies her producerâs brain to Formula 1, navigating the highs of Oscar Piastriâs rise and the unique stress of being an adopted Ferrari fan. She loves talking and talking about F1, if you give her the chance!