F1 Academy crowns Alisha Palmowski 2026 champion in Austin after dominant season New York Times (Online) Madeline Coleman AUSTIN, Texas — Red Bull's Alisha Palmowski won her first F1 Academy championship Saturday by finishing second in the reverse-grid race held after Formula 1 qualifying. “We did it, guys,” she said over the radio to her team after the race, adding she's “trying not to cry.” She went straight into her dad's arms for a hug after she jumped out of the car. She nodded to her parents for their sacrifices and to her nan, who is ill. As she dedicated the championship to her nan, Palmowski held back tears. Ferrari's Alba Larsen won the race in her first F1 Academy victory, and Gatorade's Lisa Billard finished third in her first podium of the series. Palmowski, who has won five races this season, entered the Austin weekend, round five of six, with a 48-point lead over second-place Emma Felbermayr, who finished fourth. After qualifying on pole for Friday's opening race and Sunday's feature race, Palmowski lost the lead to Mercedes-backed Payton Westcott into Turn 1 on Friday but took it back on the same lap, then survived two safety-car restarts to win. That win set up Palmowski's title chance Saturday. She needed to leave the day ahead of the Audi driver by more than 65 points, the amount still available, to clinch the title. That meant outscoring Felbermayr by at least 1 point. The second race of F1 Academy's three-race Austin weekend, which added a race to make up for the cancellation of the Saudi Arabian round this year because of the war in the Middle East, began with chaos. A safety car came out on the opening lap after Racing Bulls' Rafaela Ferreira spun Williams' Jade Jacquet out of the race while trying to retake the lead. Wild-card Alexia Danielsson had nowhere to go and ran over the front of Jacquet's car. Both drivers were unhurt. Felbermayr had swept around the outside of Palmowski on the opening lap, but she ran deep and off the track where the crash happened, and Palmowski cleared her. When racing resumed, Palmowski kept picking her way through the pack. On Lap 10, she passed Billard to take second. Cheers erupted from Red Bull and Campos Racing in pit lane as Palmowski, 20, became the youngest F1 Academy champion. She is a month younger than Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli, who could become F1's youngest world champion Sunday. The Italian driver secured pole position earlier on Saturday and can clinch the title as early as Sunday afternoon. Palmowski, from Glossop, England, is the fourth F1 Academy champion, following Marta García, Abbi Pulling and Doriane Pin. Palmowski made her series debut as a wild card in Qatar in 2024 and finished fifth as a rookie in 2025, a season that included a win in Shanghai. Palmowski starts Sunday's feature race from pole, while Felbermayr and Alpine's Nina Gademan continue their fight for second in the standings. The season concludes in Las Vegas.