How Palmowski and Felbermayr stack up in the battle to become the 2026 Champion
Alisha Palmowski heads into the penultimate round of the 2026 F1 ACADEMY season with a 48-point cushion over Emma Felbermayr, but their contrasting strengths leave the title fight open. Palmowski could secure the championship in Austin, while Felbermayr needs a strong weekend to take the contest to the Las Vegas finale. With 104 points still available, the margin is significant but not decisive.
Palmowski owns qualifying, but races are tighter
Palmowski has outqualified Felbermayr in all five head-to-head comparisons, taking four pole positions. The Red Bull Racing driver has built her advantage through one-lap pace, while the Audi racer’s best qualifying result has been third in Shanghai. Felbermayr has not returned to the top three since.
Their race record is far closer: Felbermayr has edged Palmowski five times to four across the nine races. She has won twice and collected five podiums, while Palmowski has turned four of her five podiums into victories. Her latest triumph came in Zandvoort, where she held off Alba Larsen from the lead; read more about Palmowski’s Zandvoort Feature Race win.
The reverse-grid races have been Felbermayr’s clearest advantage. She has outscored Palmowski in all four, including a victory at Silverstone. Palmowski’s best results in that format have been fifth, in Shanghai and Silverstone. Felbermayr’s Silverstone reverse-grid victory was part of a double-podium weekend, after she also recovered five places in the Feature Race.
Zandvoort setbacks show how quickly the gap can change
The Dutch round produced a costly weekend for both contenders. Felbermayr received a five-second penalty after contact and finished 13th in the Reverse Grid Race, while Palmowski stalled at the start and came home 12th. Neither scored in that race. Felbermayr’s fifth place in the Feature Race left her with ten points for the weekend, allowing Palmowski to extend her lead to 48.
Palmowski has also set the season’s benchmark with four poles and a Grand Slam in Zandvoort. She can clinch the title after either race in Austin, but the unfamiliar circuit presents a fresh challenge for the field. Felbermayr has made clear she will keep fighting while the championship remains mathematically possible. The head-to-head numbers give Palmowski the stronger overall position; Felbermayr’s race and reverse-grid results mean the challenger cannot be discounted.
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!