Felbermayr Beats Palmowski to P1 in F1 Academy Free Practice at COTA
Audi-backed Emma Felbermayr clocked a 2:08.949 to top Thursday's free practice for F1 Academy's penultimate round at Circuit of the Americas, edging championship leader Alisha Palmowski by less than a tenth.
Emma Felbermayr fired an early warning shot in the F1 Academy title fight on Thursday, setting the fastest time in free practice at Circuit of the Americas as the all-female series opened its penultimate round of the season.
The Audi-backed Rodin driver stopped the clocks at 2:08.949 in the 40-minute session, finishing 0.096 seconds clear of championship leader Alisha Palmowski, who had briefly hit the top of the timesheets before Felbermayr's late flyer. Nina Gademan ended the session third, with Payton Westcott, Rachel Robertson and Alba Larsen completing the top six.
The session was briefly interrupted by a yellow flag when Mercedes junior Westcott spun at Turn 19, while Mathilda Paatz failed to set a lap after a car issue sidelined her early.
With both the Drivers' and Teams' championships still up for grabs heading into the final two rounds, the Austin weekend carries major weight. Qualifying takes place later on Thursday afternoon local time, followed by the opening race on Friday, with reverse-grid and feature races completing the triple-header over the weekend.