F1
Palmowski bounces back to take Zandvoort win and extend title lead
Alisha Palmowski came back from Saturday setbacks to take her fourth victory of the season in Zandvoort and extend her lead at the top of the F1 Academy standings to 48 points, with two rounds left.
Alisha’s path to Feature Race victory on Sunday was set on Friday, but it was not without its obstacles. In a tricky wet/dry qualifying, an off-track moment left her in ninth place and half a second down on Ferrari-supported Alba Larsen in the early exchanges. A swift recovery vaulted the Red Bull Racing Academy Programme driver back to the top by over a tenth but when conditions improved and the crossover to slicks arrived, she again dropped down the order. It came down to being on track at exactly the right time and Alisha picked her moment perfectly, crossing the line last to seize her fourth Pole of the season by almost nine tenths of a second.
Alisha Palmowski races around Zandvoort
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It was a statement lap and gave her the ideal platform for Sunday's Feature Race. However, Saturday's Reverse Grid Race was a different story.
Starting eighth, Alisha stalled when the lights went out and dropped to the back of the field. On a tight track where overtaking opportunities are at a premium, recovery looked a tall order and, though she pushed all the way to the flag, she was forced to settle for 12th place.
It was frustrating, particularly given the pace she had shown in qualifying, but there was little time to dwell on it. Sunday's race offered an immediate chance to reset, and she did that to perfection.
Once again, it wasn’t easy. A new clutch made for a tricky start, and she had to defend hard from Larsen and Alpine-supported Nina Gademan into Turn 1, Tarzanbocht, to hold her lead.
Alisha Palmowski and Laurent Mekies after her win in Zandvoort
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Larsen kept the pressure on, and the Ferrari-supported driver again forced Alisha to go defensive at the start of lap two. The Red Bull racer shrugged off the attack, but the tone was set and the duel continued for much of the race.
In the closing stages, Alisha was at last able to shake off the Ferrari-supported driver and, after 17 laps, the Red Bull Racing Academy Programme driver took her fourth win and the point for fastest lap with 2.7 seconds in hand.
“Get the Stroopwafels ready!” she laughed over the radio after taking the flag. “Thank you so much, guys. Sorry about yesterday, but good lessons learned, and championship lead extended, so mission accomplished.”
The reward was another 26 points and a further extension of her advantage at the top of the Drivers' Standings. She now has 136 points, putting her 48 clear of Audi-supported Emma Felbermayr on 88, with Alpine’s Nina Gademan third on 71 points.
The series will next be in action in Austin alongside the F1 United States Grand Prix, with a three-race round that could prove crucial in Alisha’s pursuit of the 2026 F1 Academy crown.
Alisha celebrates with the Team in Zandvoort
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