Palmowski Strikes First at COTA With Fifth Win of the Season

Alisha Palmowski took a decisive step toward the 2026 F1 Academy title on Friday, winning the opening race at the Circuit of the Americas ahead of Nina Gademan and Alba Larsen.

The Red Bull-backed Campos Racing driver started from pole and had to survive early pressure from Mercedes-supported PREMA driver Payton Westcott, who lined up alongside her on the front row. Palmowski held her nerve through two safety car interruptions and crossed the line 1.9 seconds clear of Alpine-backed Gademan, whose Ferrari-backed MP Motorsport teammate Larsen completed the podium.

It was Palmowski's fifth victory of the season and extended her advantage over title rival Emma Felbermayr to 63 points. Felbermayr endured a miserable day by her standards, starting 11th — her first start outside the top 10 this season — and could only recover to eighth.

The 13-lap contest was the first of three races scheduled for the penultimate round of the season, with a reverse-grid race on Saturday and the feature race on Sunday. Palmowski now has a genuine chance of sealing the championship before the season finale in Las Vegas.