In a thrilling turn of events, Red Bull’s rising star Alisha Palmowski secured her first-ever victory at the F1 Academy in Shanghai. Palmowski, a newcomer to the series, navigated a chaotic race marked by three full safety cars and the early retirement of three participants to clinch the decisive win.
Palmowski’s Red Bull teammate Chloe Chambers followed closely, securing the second spot on the podium. Chambers successfully held off Ferrari Academy’s Maya Weug, who finished in third place, rounding off a podium dominated by powerful female racers.
The race took an unpredictable turn from the start. Although Weug initially qualified in pole position, the F1 Academy’s innovative reverse-grid qualifying for Race 1 put Nina Gademan at the front. Gademan, the Polesitter, got off to an impressive start leading the group into Turn 1.
Meanwhile, the race’s drama unfolded behind her. Emma Felbermayr lost a position around Turn 3 to Palmowski, while Chambers stormed down the starting straight, gaining a position and putting significant pressure on Felbermayr.
The action didn’t stop there. The two fastest qualifiers, Weug and Doriane Pin, also moved up in the rankings during the opening lap. This action-packed initial phase also saw Shi Wei, a wild card driver, spinning her car and getting stuck in the gravel at Turn 7, prompting the first deployment of a safety car.
The race resumed on Lap 4, with Gademan maintaining her lead and Palmowski hot on her heels. A tussle for position ensued between Weug and Felbermayr, with Weug ultimately seizing the fourth-place from the Kick Sauber driver. Pin, not missing a beat, followed Weug closely, capitalizing on Weug’s attack on Felbermayr to advance to fifth place.
The second safety car was deployed during Lap 5 following a collision between Aurelia Nobels and teammate Lia Block at Turn 6. The drama continued as the race restarted on Lap 8, only for another yellow flag to be waved shortly after as Nicole Havrda spun out at the first corner.
Despite the drama, front-runner Gademan restarted perfectly, leading the pack through Turn 1. However, her success was short-lived, as she began to slow down on Lap 12, plummeting from first to 14th position due to a suspected technical issue.
This twist of fate saw Palmowski inherit the lead. She skillfully held off Chambers while Weug and Pin advanced to third and fourth place respectively. Palmowski ultimately emerged victorious, demonstrating her prowess in her debut F1 Academy race.
The final lap was not without its share of drama. Pin locked up at the end of the back straight, while Hausmann got beached on the last corner. Despite these hiccups, Pin managed to finish ahead of Felbermayr, who secured a commendable fifth-place finish in her F1 Academy debut.
The race came to a close with Alba Larsen in seventh place, followed by Aiva Anagnostiadis in eighth. Rookie racer Ella Lloyd claimed sixth place, while Chloe Chong completed the top ten. In total, four drivers were confirmed to have retired from the race due to various incidents.
In conclusion, Palmowski’s triumphant debut at the chaotic Shanghai F1 Academy race cements her place as a driver to watch. Her victory, achieved amid a race fraught with drama and unpredictability, is a testament to her skill and tenacity.
