Alisha Palmowski has secured the F1 Academy title at the Circuit of the Americas, finishing second in Saturday’s reverse grid race to become the youngest champion in the all-female development series at just 20 years old, as reported by bbc.co.uk.
Alisha Palmowski Competes in F1 Academy Championship
- Campos Racing driver Alisha Palmowski competes in the F1 Academy championship ahead of the season finale in Las Vegas in November.
A Historic Weekend at the Circuit of the Americas
The Glossop-born driver secured the crown before Sunday’s feature race and the upcoming season finale in Las Vegas. Driving for Campos Racing as part of the Red Bull driver academy, Palmowski finished second behind Denmark’s Alba Larsen, who claimed her first F1 Academy victory. France’s Lisa Billard, 17, rounded out the podium in third.
Before Saturday’s race, Austrian Emma Felbermayr was the only driver with a mathematical chance of catching Palmowski in the standings. However, Felbermayr could manage no higher than fourth place, extinguishing her title hopes and handing the championship to the young Briton.
Dominance and Consistency Across the Season
Palmowski's championship run is driven by relentless consistency. Across 11 races this season, she secured five victories and finished outside of the points only once—during the reverse grid race at Zandvoort. She now stands as the second British driver to claim the all-female series title, following Abbi Pulling’s championship run in 2024.
Reflecting on her journey after securing the title, Palmowski revealed the deep personal significance of the achievement in an emotional post-race interview. She dedicated her championship win to her ill grandmother while acknowledging the immense support of her family.
“It’s been a really special journey. I started racing when I was eight or nine years old, it was just me and my parents,” she said. “The sacrifices that they’ve made behind the scenes, they’ve really put their lives on pause to allow me to live my dream.”
With the championship secured in Austin, Palmowski heads to the season finale in Las Vegas in November with the pressure lifted, ready to close out a landmark developmental campaign.
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