Nina Gademan stormed to victory in the Feature Race of the United States Grand Prix weekend, with Payton Westcott and Natalia Granada completing the F1 Academy podium.
The grid featured just 17 drivers, with Alexia Danielsson unable to race in the Feature Race after injuring her wrist in the Reverse Grid Race.
Alisha Palmowski led the field from pole, looking to add another win to her stats after claiming the championship title yesterday. Payton Westcott was starting alongside her, hoping to make an early lunge for the lead.
Palmowski lost the lead
As the lights went out, Palmowski was slow off the line, allowing Westcott to slip into the lead. She wasn’t the only one looking to get ahead of the champion, as Nina Gademan swept around the outside of the early corner and into first place.
Jade Jacquet moved up to sixth; the Frenchwoman aimed to improve on her Reverse Grid result, where a collision took her out of the race.
Alba Larsen closed on Westcott, who had slipped to third, and the Ferrari-backed driver dove down the inside of the Mercedes-liveried car to take the final podium spot.
Gademan’s lead hovered at a second, with Palmowski pushing to pressure the Alpine car out front.
At the back of the field, Rafaela Ferreira struggled, pitting on lap 4 to replace her front wing.
Palmowski continued to slowly close the gap, with the F1 Academy Champion sitting just 0.4 seconds behind Gademan.
However, it wasn’t easy for Palmowski, with Larsen tight on her gearbox, just 0.3 seconds behind. The top three ran nose to tail throughout Lap 5; the drivers waited for the perfect opportunity to make a move.
On Lap 7, Larsen lunged down the inside of Palmowski, the Ferrari-liveried car running alongside the Red Bull, but Palmowski held the racing line and kept second place.
The next lap, the duo were running side by side, narrowly avoiding contact as they fought for second place. Palmowski stayed on track, while Larsen picked up gravel in the fight, and Palmowski stayed ahead.
Collisions for Larsen and Palmowski
It was a disaster for Larsen on lap 10 as she dove down the inside of Palmowski, locked up, and drifted too wide, causing the two to collide. Larsen’s front suspension was broken, and the car was immediately retired; Palmowski tried to continue but also retired a lap later.
As Larsen climbed out of her car, she was clutching her wrist, with a potential injury from the steering wheel.
The collision brought out a Safety Car, neutralising the gaps in the field. The Safety Car came in on lap 12, leaving the field with one lap to claim positions.
Gademan led the field green early, catching those behind her off guard as the Alpine-liveried car disappeared into the distance.
Gademan held her lead and took the chequered flag, with Wescott and Granada completing the podium.
READ MORE: F1 Academy 2026 US GP – Feature Race Results
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