Palmowski settles the title in Austin
Alisha Palmowski is the 2026 F1 Academy champion after finishing second in Austin’s Reverse Grid Race. The Campos Racing driver, supported by Red Bull Racing, recovered from eighth on the grid to secure the decisive result with three races remaining in the season. Alba Larsen won the race and Lisa Billard completed the podium. Palmowski also becomes the first Campos driver to win the championship in this competition.
Larsen turns fourth on the grid into a maiden win
Larsen started fourth, emerged from an eventful opening lap in the lead and retained control after the Safety Car intervention. For the MP Motorsport driver supported by Ferrari, the result converts a recent sequence of podium finishes into a career milestone: her first F1 Academy victory. There were therefore two distinct celebrations at the finish, one for the race winner and another for the newly crowned champion. Each achievement gives the Austin weekend a different sporting significance.
The confirmed Reverse Grid Race results
Larsen completed the 13 laps in 30:20.240 and finished 2.368 seconds ahead of Palmowski. Billard ended 4.079 seconds behind the winner to claim her first podium. Emma Felbermayr was fourth, followed by Nina Gademan. The results below belong to the Reverse Grid Race. Sunday’s Feature Race has its own classification and had not yet taken place at the time of this check, so its outcome should be kept separate from Saturday’s completed race.
| Pos | Driver | Team | Time / gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alba Larsen | MP Motorsport | 30:20.240 |
| 2 | Alisha Palmowski | Campos Racing | +2.368 s |
| 3 | Lisa Billard | ART Grand Prix | +4.079 s |
| 4 | Emma Felbermayr | Rodin Motorsport | +7.145 s |
| 5 | Nina Gademan | MP Motorsport | +7.886 s |
Restart preparation and confidence behind Larsen’s progress
In her official post-race interview, Larsen emphasised her preparation for the restart and her management of the gap and tyres. She connected her improvement to work with the team during the summer break and to confidence built over time. The emotion of a first win was clear when she described hearing the Danish national anthem on the podium. Her comments explain how she understands her development, without retrospectively turning every earlier result into a missed victory.
The incidents that changed the race
The opening phase was shaped by contact between Rafaela Ferreira and Jade Jacquet as they disputed the lead. Larsen took advantage to move ahead. After the restart on lap five, Palmowski continued her recovery until she was in position to challenge Billard for second. Completing that pass proved decisive in settling the championship, with Felbermayr remaining fourth. For Campos, the result delivered its first Drivers’ Championship in F1 Academy, while Larsen and Billard celebrated separate career milestones on the same podium.
The Feature Race follows at 19:00 in Romania on Sunday
Austin’s official schedule places the Feature Race at 12:00 local time on Sunday, 25 October, equivalent to 19:00 in Romania after the change to winter time. Palmowski has secured the title, but the race remains a separate opportunity for a victory and team points. For viewers, the useful distinction is between those two objectives: the Drivers’ Championship already has its winner, while the result of the final race of the weekend still has to be decided on track.
