Britain’s Alisha Palmowski became the 2026 F1 Academy champion with three races to spare after building an unassailable lead in Austin.
Palmowski followed up victory in Friday’s Opening Race at the Circuit of the Americas with second in the Reverse Grid Race behind Alba Larsen to take a 70-point lead over her closest championship challenger, Emme Felbermayr, with only a maximum if 67 points remaining.
The Red Bull-backed has dominated this season by winning five of the 11 races so far with six pole positions to become the second Briton after Abbi Pulling in 2024 to win the F1 Academy title.
Palmowski, 20, is the youngest F1 Academy champion and praised the team and her family, who were in attendance in Austin.
“We did it guys! It’s incredible. I don’t know what to say. I’m trying not to cry!” she said.
“There’s so much hard work gone on behind the scenes, not just from myself, but all the people you won’t see. They have lived it day and night.
“We have worked so hard as a team, Campos Racing and Red Bull Racing. We have left no stone unturned. I don’t want to name names but my engineer Diego has lived this with me every day and night.”
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Palmowski has won the title in her second full campaign after an impressive rookie season where she won the 2025 season-opener and took another four podiums.
She has been backed by Red Bull since the start of last year after finishing as runners-up in the 2024 GB4 Championship.
“I’ve learned so much in the last 18 months to two years being with Red Bull,” she said.
“I learned about things I didn’t know. I’ve developed so much, not only as a driver but a person as well. I’ve matured so much in the last 12 months. It’s a dream come true.”
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What next for Palmowski?
Previous F1 Academy champions Marta Garcia, Pulling and Doriane Pin have gone on to race in other motorsport categories in endurance racing and Formula Regional.
Palmowski, who starts on pole for Sunday’s main race in Austin at 5pm, live on Sky Sports F1, may now look to make a similar move in 2027.
“There are conversations happening in the background but I’m leaving that to my management team,” she told Sky Sports F1.
“I want to go as far up the single-seater ladder as possible but I’m aware motorsport is a results-based business.
“I’m a big believer that when you go in a car, the helmet goes on, the car doesn’t have a gender and we are fighting for the same thing.”
Sky Sports F1’s live United States GP schedule
Sunday October 25
5pm: F1 Academy Race 3
6.30pm: Grand Prix Sunday: United States GP build-up*
8pm: THE UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX*
10pm: Chequered Flag: United States GP reaction
11pm: Ted’s Notebook
*also on Sky Sports Main Event
Formula 1 is in The Americas for another triple-header with the United States Grand Prix in Austin up first this weekend, live on Sky Sports F1. Stream Sky Sports with NOW – no contract, cancel anytime