Nina Gademan storms to second F1 Academy win in Austin

Nina Gademan claimed her second F1 ACADEMY victory of the season in the Austin Feature Race on 25 October 2026, launching from third on the grid to seize the lead at Turn 1. The Alpine driver then controlled the restart after a Safety Car period to win by more than a second and move to second in the Drivers’ Standings.

Payton Westcott made the best start, passing polesitter Alisha Palmowski off the line. Gademan was pushed wide as the field crowded the inside, but swept around the outside of the opening corner to take the lead. Palmowski recovered to second on Lap 2, while Westcott was soon overtaken by Alba Larsen.

Gademan converts a bold opening move into victory

The leading trio pulled clear, with Larsen keeping close to newly crowned champion Palmowski. After seven laps of pressure, Larsen tried to pass on Lap 10 but locked up and ran wide. The pair made contact as she rejoined, leaving Larsen with front-left damage. Palmowski later stopped with right-rear suspension damage, and both drivers retired.

Their incident brought out the Safety Car. Racing resumed on Lap 12 for a one-lap dash, and Gademan got away cleanly while Westcott and Natalia Granada dropped back. Westcott finished second at home, with Granada third for her second podium of the season.

The Austin result came a day after Palmowski secured the title in the reverse-grid race; she had clinched the F1 Academy crown before Sunday’s Feature Race.

Jacquet and Felbermayr climb into the top five

Jade Jacquet held off Lia Felbermayr to take fourth, her best result so far. Felbermayr finished fifth after starting 11th. Lisa Billard was sixth, ahead of Rachel Robertson, Ella Lloyd, Esmee Kosterman and Megan Bruce, who completed the top 10.

Earlier, Felbermayr had passed Robertson and Billard on Lap 2, then spent several attempts trying to get by Jacquet. Rafaela Ferreira dropped to the back after contact in a three-wide Turn 1 battle and pitted for a new front wing.

Wild Card driver Alexia Danielsson did not start. After a collision with Jade Jacquet in Saturday’s Reverse Grid Race, she was declared unfit to drive because of a wrist injury. The Austin weekend also brought Larsen’s maiden F1 ACADEMY win in the earlier race, a milestone covered in our report on her emotional victory.

The series’ next stop is Las Vegas, where Round 6 is scheduled for November 19–21 as the 2026 season reaches its conclusion.