Alisha Palmowski has secured the 2026 F1 Academy Drivers’ Championship at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas. The British driver clinched the title with one race remaining in the season. Her second-place finish in Saturday’s Reverse Grid Race provided an unassailable points lead.
Palmowski, driving for Campos Racing with support from Red Bull Racing, is the youngest F1 Academy champion at 20 years old. She has demonstrated consistent performance throughout the season.
The championship was sealed during the Reverse Grid Race, the second of three scheduled events at the Austin weekend. Alba Larsen, representing MP Motorsport and supported by Ferrari, claimed her maiden F1 Academy victory in the race.
Rafaela Ferreira, from Campos Racing, started the Reverse Grid Race from pole position. Jade Jacquet, supported by Williams, lined up alongside her on the front row.
An early incident saw Ferreira make contact with Jacquet, resulting in Jacquet spinning off track and out of the race. Wildcard entry Alexia Danielsson subsequently hit Jacquet’s front wing, ending her own race.
This collision necessitated a Safety Car deployment. Alba Larsen then took the lead on Lap 5, maintaining it to secure her first F1 Academy win.
Palmowski navigated the race to finish second, a result that was sufficient to secure the championship. Lisa Billard, driving for ART Grand Prix, achieved her first F1 Academy podium by finishing third.
Palmowski entered the Austin weekend with a 48-point lead over her closest rival, Emma Felbermayr. Her victory in Friday’s Opening Race further extended this advantage to 63 points.
In the Opening Race, Palmowski started from pole position and overcame an initial challenge from Payton Westcott. She held off Alba Larsen and Nina Gademan to take her fifth win of the season.
The top ten finishers in the Opening Race were Palmowski, Gademan, Larsen, Billard, Felbermayr, Natalia Granada, Westcott, Esmee Kosterman, Ella Stevens, and Jade Jacquet. Jacquet earned her first points of the season in this race.
The 2026 F1 Academy season is the fourth edition of the all-female, Formula 4-level championship. It supports selected rounds of the FIA Formula One World Championship.
The series features 18 cars, with 10 of them sporting liveries sponsored by Formula One teams. The calendar includes rounds in Shanghai, Montreal, Silverstone, Zandvoort, Austin, and Las Vegas.
Points are awarded across three race formats: Opening Race, Reverse Grid Race, and Feature Race. The Opening and Feature Races award points to the top 10 finishers, with 25 points for a win.
The Reverse Grid Race awards points to the top eight, with 10 points for the winner. Two points are given for pole position in the Feature Race, and one point for the fastest lap if the driver finishes in the points.
The Circuit of the Americas (COTA) is a 5.513 km track with 20 turns. This marks F1 Academy’s return to the venue for the first time since its inaugural 2023 season.
The Austin weekend concludes with the Feature Race scheduled for Sunday, October 25. Palmowski will compete in this final race as the confirmed 2026 champion.
