Alisha Palmowski has secured double pole position for Round 5 of the F1 Academy season at the United States Grand Prix. The Red Bull-backed driver will start from the front for both Friday’s Opening Race and Sunday’s Feature Race in Austin. This outcome follows a post-session reinstatement of her fastest lap time on Thursday at the Circuit of the Americas.
The decision to reinstate Palmowski’s lap time was crucial for the championship leader. She initially faced competition from home favourite Payton Westcott, who had temporarily held the top spot. Nina Gademan completed the top three in the qualifying session.
Earlier on Thursday, Emma Felbermayr set the pace in the sole F1 Academy practice session. The Audi driver posted a 2:08.949, outpacing Palmowski by 0.178 seconds. Gademan finished third in practice, indicating strong form for the weekend.
Track limit violations were a significant factor during qualifying, particularly at Turn 1. Several drivers, including title contender Felbermayr, had competitive lap times deleted. The white lines define the edge of the circuit, and exceeding them results in invalidated laps in qualifying.
Palmowski leads the 2026 F1 Academy championship with 136 points. She holds a 48-point advantage over Emma Felbermayr, who is second with 88 points. Nina Gademan sits third in the standings with 71 points.
The British driver has accumulated four poles and four victories this season, winning at each of the last three rounds. Palmowski is racing with a special Mobil-inspired livery at COTA, reflecting a partnership with ExxonMobil.
Felbermayr, supported by Audi, has secured two wins this season, including victories in Shanghai Race 2 and the Silverstone Reverse Grid Race. Her performance in practice demonstrated her intent to challenge Palmowski for the title.
Payton Westcott, a Mercedes-backed driver, is the highest-ranked rookie in the championship, currently fifth with 49 points. The American driver achieved her maiden F1 Academy victory at Zandvoort in the Reverse Grid Race.
Nina Gademan, representing Alpine, has one win and four podiums this season. She has consistently been a front-runner, reinforcing her third-place championship position.
The Circuit of the Americas features a 5.513km layout with 20 corners. Track limits are a known challenge, particularly at Turn 19. The F1 Academy races consist of 13 laps, covering a distance of 71.669 km.
This Austin event is Round 5 of the 2026 F1 Academy season and features a triple-header format. The Opening Race is scheduled for Friday, October 23, followed by the Reverse Grid Race on Saturday, October 24. The Feature Race will conclude the weekend on Sunday, October 25.
Points are awarded for pole position in the Feature Race, and for the top finishers in all three races. This weekend offers a maximum of 65 points, providing Palmowski an opportunity to potentially seal the championship before the final round in Las Vegas.
