F1 Academy breakthrough
Alisha Palmowski grabbed her first pole and podium of the F1 Academy season at Shanghai — a clear sign she’s moving up the junior ladder (redbullracing.com).
Her quickest lap in Qualifying was a 2:04.182, set after a late red flag disrupted the session and forced drivers into additional out-laps. (f1academy.com) The Race 2 photo-finish saw Emma Felbermayr hold off Palmowski by 0.252 seconds at the chequered flag after 13 laps of racing. (asianmotorsport.com) Those results reshuffled the early championship; Felbermayr leads the drivers’ standings on 31 points, with Palmowski second on 25 and Nina Gademan third on 22. (pitdebrief.com) Palmowski competes for Campos Racing while carrying support from the Red Bull Racing Academy as part of her junior programme. (camposracing.com) She had already set the weekend’s early pace by topping the sole 40-minute Free Practice session at Shanghai ahead of Qualifying. (f1academy.com) The F1 ACADEMY season continues next at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit from April 17–19, 2026, where the grid will reconvene for Round 2. (f1academy.com)
