Alisha Palmowski executed a flawless performance at the Montreal Opening Race, securing a lights-to-flag victory. The Red Bull Racing driver converted her pole position into a commanding win, finishing 10.1 seconds ahead of second-place Megan Bruce from Campos Racing. This victory marked the largest winning margin in F1 ACADEMY history.
Key Race Highlights
- Palmowski started strong from pole, maintaining her lead from the first turn.
- Campos Racing achieved its first 1-2 finish of the season.
- Mathilda Paatz earned her first podium by taking third place.
Palmowski’s launch from pole was perfect, as she retained her lead into Turn 1. Just behind her, Bruce and teammate Payton Westcott followed closely. Unfortunately, Emma Felbermayr experienced a stall that dropped her to the back of the pack.
Mid-Race Developments
- Ava Dobson suffered a punctured tire after contact with LEGO Racing’s Esmee Kosterman at Turn 6.
- Rachel Robertson’s aggressive maneuver sent Natalia Granada spinning off course.
- Despite a P16 start, Ella Lloyd quickly advanced to P11 by Lap 2.
The battle for podium positions heated up as Paatz closed in on Bruce and Westcott. Westcott received a five-second penalty for going off-track at Turn 13, further complicating her race. Bruce’s misjudgment allowed Westcott a chance to recover, but her attempt failed and she fell to P6.
Final Race Standing
- Palmowski finished first, followed by Bruce and Paatz.
- Rafaela Ferreira helped ensure all three Campos cars finished in the top four.
- Lloyd’s impressive recovery resulted in a sixth-place finish, with Countryman and Stevens earning their first points in seventh and eighth, respectively.
- Gademan and Felbermayr rounded out the top ten.
Looking ahead, Countryman aims for her first podium as she claims pole position for the upcoming Reverse Grid Race. The next race begins at 18:05 local time (UTC-4). El-Balad will continue to follow this exciting series closely.
