Palmowski Leads F1 ACADEMY Title Fight into Final Two Rounds
Alisha Palmowski heads into the final two rounds of the F1 ACADEMY season with a 48-point advantage over Emma Felbermayr, while Nina Gademan remains in contention after a late surge. Three races in Austin and two in Las Vegas are still to come, leaving the title fight alive despite Palmowski’s sizeable cushion.
Palmowski built her lead with wins in China and Canada
Palmowski began the campaign with pole position in Shanghai, but it was Felbermayr who left the opening round leading the standings. The Audi driver took third in the Reverse Grid Race and won the Feature Race after passing Palmowski, establishing a six-point edge.
The balance shifted sharply in Montreal. Palmowski swept both pole positions, then won the Opening Race by 10.119 seconds — the largest winning margin in series history at the time. Felbermayr’s stall off the line left her 10th, and Palmowski moved 19 points clear.
A damaged front wing and later contact denied Palmowski points in the Reverse Grid Race, but she answered in the Feature Race, winning in wet conditions by 10.955 seconds. Felbermayr recovered to second, yet Palmowski’s advantage grew to 25 points.
Felbermayr fought back, while Gademan closed in
At Silverstone, Felbermayr won the Reverse Grid Race from pole, while Palmowski started strongly and finished fifth. Palmowski then took the Feature Race after getting ahead of Wild Card driver Chiara Bättig at the start. Felbermayr climbed from eighth to third, keeping the gap to 30 points. Felbermayr controlled the Silverstone Reverse Grid Race, but Palmowski’s home-soil victory still extended her lead.
Zandvoort delivered another swing. Palmowski stalled at the start of the Reverse Grid Race and finished 12th, while Felbermayr was pushed outside the points after a five-second penalty. In the Feature Race, however, Palmowski recovered to win by 2.7 seconds, with Alba Larsen and Gademan completing the podium. Palmowski held off Larsen for the Zandvoort Feature Race win.
Gademan now trails Felbermayr by 17 points, while Larsen sits fourth, 21 behind her teammate. Both are mathematically in the title picture, but their hopes depend on major setbacks for the leaders.
Austin could decide the championship
Palmowski can secure the title in Austin if she leaves the weekend with at least a 40-point lead after its third and final race. There are 104 points available across the weekend, giving Felbermayr a route back into the contest. She has not outscored Palmowski over a weekend since Shanghai, but the championship remains undecided until the remaining races are run.
Will you be watching the last few races? And who is your money on to grab the F1 Academy Driver's Championship?
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 producer’s brain to Formula 1, navigating the highs of Oscar Piastri’s rise and the unique stress of being an adopted Ferrari fan. She loves talking and talking about F1, if you give her the chance!