F1 Academy: Alisha Palmowski takes COTA pole positions, Ferreira claims reverse grid pole
Alisha Palmowski claimed pole position for both opening and feature races at Circuit of The Americas as F1 Academy returned to Austin for the penultimate round of the 2026 season that could potentially decide the title.
Alisha Palmowski claimed pole position for both opening and feature races at Circuit of The Americas as F1 Academy returned to Austin for the penultimate round of the 2026 season.
The Red Bull driver edged home racer Payton Westcott in a closely contested qualifying session, setting a new benchmark of 2:07.714 after a late flurry of improvements. Championship rival Emma Felbermayr could manage only ninth, giving Palmowski a significant advantage heading into a triple-header weekend that could potentially decide the title.
The championship returns to Austin for the first time since its inaugural 2023 season, when COTA hosted the season finale and the first F1 Academy round held in conjunction with Formula 1. This time, the Texas venue stages the first of two American rounds on the calendar, with three races scheduled this weekend to make up for the cancelled Jeddah event earlier in the year.
Palmowski arrives with momentum after extending her championship lead with a victory at Zandvoort. Felbermayr remains second in the standings, ahead of Nina Gademan, who enjoyed a strong home weekend in the Netherlands with two podium finishes. Alba Larsen also made a significant step forward at Zandvoort, taking second place in both races after a difficult start to the season. The Danish driver has since become the first competitor confirmed for the 2027 F1 Academy grid and now sits fourth in the championship.
With Palmowski potentially able to seal the title in Austin, Felbermayr faces a crucial weekend if she is to keep the fight alive.
Three drivers will contest their home round at COTA: Payton Westcott represents Mercedes and arrives fresh from claiming her maiden F1 Academy victory at Zandvoort, becoming the youngest race winner in the championship's history. Kaylee Countryman will race in Haas colours with ART Grand Prix, while Ava Dobson represents American Express with Hitech. The field is also joined by Swedish wild card Alexia Danielsson, who has taken part in the last two F1 Academy Rookie Tests and is competing full-time in F4 CEZ.
Felbermayr set the pace in the sole practice session of the weekend, finishing ahead of Palmowski and Gademan as the field prepared for the 30-minute qualifying session. Mathilda Paatz also returned to the cockpit for Aston Martin after a technical issue with her #8 Prema-operated car prevented her from participating in practice.
Qualifying began with Dobson setting an early benchmark of 2:12.7, but lap times quickly tumbled as drivers found their rhythm around the Austin circuit. Ella Lloyd, Jade Jacquet, Gademan and Rafaela Ferreira all briefly occupied the top spot before Palmowski moved to the front with a 2:09.008 just ten minutes into the session.
Larsen and Westcott initially followed, with positions changing rapidly as the field continued to improve. Felbermayr soon closed to within a tenth of her championship rival, but Palmowski responded with personal-best sectors in the first and third sectors to lower the benchmark to 2:08.485.
Westcott was the next to break through the 2:09 barrier, while Ferreira moved into third with a 2:09.045. Rachel Robertson, after having several laps deleted for track limits, finally put together a clean effort to take third with a 2:08.917.
With ten minutes remaining, the teams began preparing for their final qualifying runs, with different approaches to tyre strategies producing a varied picture across the field. Some drivers went earlier on the newer set, while others waited some more minutes.
Robertson improved further to 2:08.827 but remained third, while Countryman moved up to eighth, an important position for the reverse-grid race. Felbermayr also found time, recording a 2:08.929 with a purple second sector, although a less productive final sector left her fifth at that stage. The Austrian's improved second-fastest lap, however, would prove important for the opening race's grid.
Lisa Billard then moved into second with a 2:08.422, less than two tenths behind Palmowski. The championship leader responded with an all-out push, recording personal bests across all three sectors to become the first driver to break the 2:08 barrier, lowering the benchmark to 2:07.955.
Larsen and Gademan followed with laps in the 2:08.3s, while Jacquet made a major step forward to move into fifth. The French driver, who became the first woman to win a race in French F4, continued to show progress after her recent performances.
With just over a minute remaining, Westcott delighted the home crowd by moving ahead of Palmowski with a 2:07.812, putting the Mercedes-liveries car provisionally on pole position.
Palmowski had one final opportunity to respond and immediately set about reclaiming the top spot. She produced her best first sector and crossed the line in 2:07.714, but the lap was initially deleted for exceeding track limits, leaving Westcott on course for a home pole.
The Red Bull driver's time was subsequently reinstated, however, restoring Palmowski to the top of the classification. She therefore secured pole position for both the opening race and Sunday's feature race, with her second-fastest lap also proving decisive for the first contest's grid.
It was a particularly important result for the championship leader, as Felbermayr could manage only ninth in the final classification. The Austrian's second-fastest lap was even less competitive, leaving her 11th on the grid for the opening race and making her task of limiting Palmowski's advantage considerably more difficult.
Gademan completed the top three after another strong qualifying performance, continuing the momentum she had built at Zandvoort. Natalia Granada secured fourth with a late 2:08.332, while Larsen finished fifth ahead of Billard and Jacquet, who recorded her best qualifying result of the season to date.
Rafaela Ferreira took eighth place, putting herself on reverse-grid pole for the opening race. Felbermayr followed in ninth, with Robertson rounding out the top ten ahead of Megan Bruce in 11th, Ella Stevens in 12th and Ella Lloyd in 13th.
Ava Dobson qualified 14th, ahead of wild card Danielsson, who completed her first qualifying session in the championship in 15th. Countryman followed in 16th, with Esmee Kosterman 17th and Mathilda Paatz 18th after losing valuable track time in practice.
The opening race is scheduled for Friday at 17:50 local time, with the pole sitter Palmowski making important steps towards the big goal.
