Cotty and Felbermayr score points with top-15, Westcott leads Women’s standings after Italian F4 opener at Misano
- MARCO ALBERTINI
- 4 hours ago
- 7 min read
Across four highly eventful races at Misano, the female drivers of Italian F4 consistently battled through the ultra-competitive midfield, with Emily Cotty and Emma Felbermayr collecting top-15 finishes and therefore valuable championship points, while Payton Westcott emerged as the Women’s Championship standings leader.
The 2026 Italian Formula 4 Championship season got underway at Misano with one of the largest and most competitive grids in recent series history, featuring nearly 50 entries and an impressive five female drivers on the grid - one of the highest female representations the championship has seen in recent years.
Across four highly eventful races, the female drivers consistently battled through the ultra-competitive midfield, with Cotty and Felbermayr collecting top-15 finishes and therefore valuable championship points in a weekend marked by intense wheel-to-wheel battles.
Among the names entering the season was Emily Cotty, the reigning 2025 Italian F4 Female Trophy champion, returning for her second full campaign in Formula 4 competitions with R-Ace GP. After racing extensively over the winter in the UAE, Cotty arrived at Misano as one of the most experienced and high-profile female drivers on the grid.
Joining her at R-Ace GP was Payton Westcott, returning to Italian F4 after making her full-time debut in the championship last season. The American driver is simultaneously contesting F1 Academy in 2026 as the Mercedes-backed representative, combining both programmes in a dual campaign aimed at maximising seat time and development.
Brazilian racer Rafaela Ferreira also made her Italian F4 debut at Misano. After a highly successful career in Brazilian F4, where she made history with pole positions and race victories, Ferreira stepped up to F1 Academy in 2025 with Campos Racing as the VCARB-supported driver. Returning for a second F1 Academy season in 2026 while also contesting selected Formula Winter Series rounds, she joined Cram Motorsport for her first appearance in Italian F4.
Emma Felbermayr returned to mixed-gender F4 after an impressive rookie season in 2025, when she competed in Spanish F4, Eurocup-4 and British F4 before stepping into F1 Academy with Rodin Motorsport. Representing Sauber, the Austrian claimed her first F1 Academy victory in Canada. In 2026, Felbermayr returned to F1 Academy with Audi and arrived at Misano leading the standings after the opening round in Shanghai. She joined PHM Racing for the Italian F4 opener after also competing in the UAE Formula 4 Championship earlier in the year.
Completing the female line-up was Italian racer Ginevra Panzeri, entering her second season of Formula 4 racing. After racing in the E4 Championship and Formula Winter Series in 2025, Panzeri stepped up to the highly competitive Italian F4 Championship with AS Motorsport, continuing to show strong improvement and development.
Qualifying was split into two groups due to the massive entry list. In the first group, featuring Emily Cotty and Ginevra Panzeri, Cotty set a 1:36.774 lap to secure 18th in her session, while Panzeri posted a 1:37.817 for 24th.
The second qualifying group featured Rafaela Ferreira, Payton Westcott and Emma Felbermayr. Ferreira impressed early with a strong lap before times rapidly improved across the field. Felbermayr produced an excellent 1:36.753 to place 12th, narrowly ahead of Ferreira’s 1:36.781, while Westcott recorded a 1:36.848. A late red flag interrupted the session in the closing seconds and it was not resumed.
Race 1 featured the B-C group and included all five female drivers. Emma Felbermayr lined up 16th, Rafaela Ferreira 17th, Payton Westcott 20th, Emily Cotty 22nd and Ginevra Panzeri 30th.
The opening lap was immediately chaotic, with several drivers running through the escape roads before Zheng spun in the middle of the circuit. Felbermayr made a superb launch, climbing to 13th, while Ferreira advanced to 15th. Cotty also made remarkable early progress, charging from 22nd to 17th within just a few corners. Westcott retained 20th, while Panzeri gained four places to move into 26th.
The race was soon neutralized after the stranded #69 Prema car of Zheng triggered a safety car. At the restart with 17 minutes remaining, Felbermayr was up to 12th and running ahead of PHM Racing teammate Chartier. Ferreira lost a position to Martinese, while Cotty began closing in behind her. Westcott slipped to 22nd, while Panzeri climbed to 25th after Consani suffered suspension damage.
Felbermayr then joined a fierce battle for the top ten. She attacked Augustus Toniolo and completed the move for 11th as Toniolo made contact with Chartier. Ferreira also fought back strongly to hold 14th, with Cotty right behind in 15th.
Westcott briefly recovered into the top 20 before Costoya overtook her and dropped her back to 21st. Panzeri gained further positions after Toniolo and Chartier came together on lap seven, promoting the Italian to 23rd.
Felbermayr now led a five-car train just outside the top ten but came under heavy pressure from Martinese. The Italian attempted a move on lap nine, but Emma defended aggressively to retain 11th. Moments later, contact ahead between Ary Bansal and Craigie sent the Indian driver into the gravel, promoting Felbermayr into the top ten. Ferreira meanwhile held 13th.
The midfield battles became increasingly chaotic, with multiple contacts and front wings flying off cars throughout the pack. Unfortunately, Felbermayr’s strong race unravelled with just three minutes remaining when she was forced to pit with damage.
Ferreira inherited the lead of the Female Trophy battle in 13th overall, while Cotty held 16th, though she too came under pressure and was passed by Costoya on the following lap. Westcott remained in the thick of the midfield fight in 19th, while Felbermayr rejoined 23rd behind Panzeri in 21st.
Ferreira then encountered trouble herself on the final lap and dropped down the order, missing out on the Female Trophy victory on her debut in the series. It was Emily Cotty who eventually secured the Female Trophy win with 15th overall after a determined drive. Westcott finished 17th, while Panzeri completed an excellent recovery to take 20th overall and third in the Female Trophy standings after gaining ten positions from the start. Felbermayr was classified 22nd after her late-race issues, while Ferreira dropped to 23rd after her car broke down.
Race 2 saw Ferreira starting 17th, Cotty 22nd, Westcott 23rd and Panzeri 31st. The start was clean, with Ferreira holding 18th, Westcott climbing to 20th, Cotty remaining 22nd and Panzeri moving into 30th after the opening lap.
On lap two, Simek dropped down the order and Westcott capitalized brilliantly, overtaking Ferreira for 19th before also passing Rodriguez for 18th on the same lap. Cotty moved into 21st just behind Ferreira, while Ruta pitted at the end of the lap, promoting everyone one position.
The safety car was then deployed after Fogaça went off at Turn 14. Just before the neutralization, Ruykov passed Emily Cotty, while Panzeri climbed to 26th.
Racing resumed with 17 and a half minutes remaining. Three laps later, Ruykov overtook Ferreira for 19th. Cotty then passed Ferreira for 20th on the following lap, with Ferreira dropping to 22nd by the end of the lap. Cotty herself slipped back to 21st a lap later after Craigie overtook her, while Ferreira lost another position to Bernoldi.
Ferreira then dropped to 24th after Ruta also got by, while Cotty fell to 23rd with nine minutes remaining after being passed by Bernoldi and Ruta. Westcott meanwhile briefly climbed to 16th before dropping back to 17th on the following lap. Panzeri held 28th.
A late incident for Killion in the final sector with three minutes remaining promoted the field once more. At the finish, Westcott secured 16th overall and claimed the Female Trophy victory in Race 2. Cotty finished 22nd, Ferreira 23rd and Panzeri 29th.
Race 3 featured only Emma Felbermayr among the female drivers, starting from 16th on the grid after overnight rain forced the race to begin behind the safety car. Racing finally went green after approximately five minutes.
Felbermayr dropped to 17th behind Levi Arn on the first full racing lap, then slipped to 18th behind Ruta by the end of the lap. For most of the race she focused on defending from Kuklane and Cortes in a tightly contested midfield battle.
Another safety car was deployed with eight minutes remaining after Orsini went off at Turn 12. During the caution period, leader Sammalisto broke down, promoting Felbermayr to 17th. The restart was delayed because the recovery vehicle was still towing Sammalisto’s car, meaning the race resumed for only one final lap.
In dramatic fashion, Costoya crashed before the finish line, promoting Emma Felbermayr to 15th overall and handing her the Female Trophy victory.
Panzeri had initially qualified for Race 4, but following a series of post-race penalties from Race 3, Martinese was reinstated into the field and Panzeri ultimately failed to qualify for the final race.
Race 4 featured only the top drivers in the points standings from the weekend, with three female drivers making the grid: Emily Cotty started 30th, Payton Westcott 31st and Emma Felbermayr 33rd.
Unfortunately, Felbermayr stalled at the beginning of the formation lap and was unable to start the race. The opening lap immediately brought another safety car after a crash involving Bearman, Cortes and Toniolo, while Rodriguez also stopped on track.
The race resumed after three laps behind the safety car, with 17 minutes and 30 seconds remaining. At the restart, Westcott had climbed to 25th while Cotty held 28th.
Cotty overtook Repetto for 27th on lap five, while Westcott was passed by Ruykov and dropped to 26th. Westcott responded strongly and climbed to 24th on lap seven, while Cotty remained 27th after Repetto regained the position and Killion pitted with a broken front wing.
Westcott continued her progress by overtaking Martinese for 23rd on lap eight. After Busso spun on lap ten, both Westcott and Cotty gained another position. Kuklane later went off at Turn 12, promoting Westcott to 20th and Cotty to 24th.
Westcott lost one place to Repetto on lap 13 and dropped to 21st, while Cotty passed Bernoldi for 23rd on lap 14.
At the chequered flag, Payton Westcott finished 21st overall and secured another Female Trophy victory to close out the weekend. Cotty crossed the line 23rd.
Across the opening weekend of the season, both Emily Cotty and Emma Felbermayr achieved top-15 results and each collected one championship point. Payton Westcott, however, emerged from Misano leading the Women’s Championship standings with 86 points, narrowly ahead of Cotty on 82.
The Italian Formula 4 Championship will continue on 22–24 May at Vallelunga for the second round of the 2026 season.
