Alisha Palmowski claimed a double pole position in Qualifying for the Opening Race and the Feature Race of the 2026 F1 Academy Montreal round.
The Red Bull Racing driver got off to a strong start during Free Practice at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, topping the timesheets with a 1:39.371. She carried that momentum into Qualifying with a dominant performance, securing both the fastest and second-fastest laps for the weekend’s unique three-race format.
The result also marked a back-to-back pole position for Palmowski, having taken pole at the season opener in Shanghai.
Palmowski’s drive to pole
Speaking after qualifying, Palmowski highlighted her satisfaction with the result and the importance of staying consistent and composed across the session.
“I’m feeling really relieved to be honest,” she said. “We had really strong pace here last year and then strong pace in Free Practice. It’s been a very long day, there’s been many hours between Free Practice and Qualifying, but I was quietly confident that we could get the job done.”
Following the cancellation of the Saudi Arabian GP, Montreal hosts one of F1 Academy’s 2026 three-race weekends. As a result, Qualifying carried extra importance, with the fastest laps determining the grid for the Reverse Grid and Feature Races as usual, while the drivers’ second-fastest laps set the order for Saturday’s Opening Race.
Having to deal with this added new pressure, she continued: “It was more myself fighting myself to keep my head and not make any mistakes. Be consistent as well in a Qualifying session, knowing that we needed the two laps, not just the one. We had to be very considered throughout that whole session, but I think I judged that risk versus reward really well. I was consistent, I think my second-fastest lap was within a tenth nearly, so a really good result overall.”
Managing track evolution
Making the most of late-track evolution has always been one of Palmowski’s strengths. She showcased this skill during Montreal Qualifying, steadily improving her lap times throughout the session.
“That’s been a speciality of mine throughout my whole career,” she explaind. “My fastest laps are always towards the end. The track changed so much in terms of evolution from Free Practice where it was really dusty.”
“It was just about adapting and learning. Every lap I did I was learning, gaining more and more time, gaining more confidence.”
Seeking redemption
Looking back at her rookie 2025 F1 Academy season, Palmowski qualified P2 for two of the three Canadian GP races. However, her podium hopes ended on the opening laps of both races after suffering from contact.
Applying her 2025 mistakes and lessons to this year’s races, Palmowksi explained that she aims for a more measured approach: “It’s a great opportunity to score some great points. I’d love to take the win home tomorrow, but we’ve got to be considered as well. We’ve got to get off the line cleanly and then see how the race pans out from there.”
