Nina Gademan currently sits third in the 2026 F1 Academy Drivers’ Standings with 50 points. The Alpine backed MP Motorsport driver arrived with the weight of expectation after finishing sixth in her debut campaign in 2025 and claiming a memorable maiden victory at Zandvoort. The early part of her 2026 season suggested she could push for the title. However, a difficult Montreal round kept her from closing the gap to championship leader Alisha Palmowski, who continued her dominant run.
Gademan makes an immediate impact in Shanghai
Gademan began the 2026 F1 Academy season with a victory in the Reverse Grid Race at Shanghai. Running comfortably at the front and managing the gap to the field, she crossed the line 0.6 seconds clear of Natalia Granada to claim 10 points and her first podium of the season. The Feature Race was less straightforward, with Gademan finishing fourth after being caught up in the midfield battle behind race winner Emma Felbermayr. She left third in the standings after Round 1 with 22 points.
A difficult Montreal round halts Gademan’s 2026 F1 Academy momentum
Montreal introduced a three-race format for the first time and proved to be Gademan’s most difficult round of the opening half of the season. She scored in the Opening Race with a ninth-place finish, giving her a solid start to the weekend. However, she retired from the Reverse Grid Race after she attempted to take avoiding action but ended up in the barriers instead. A seventh-place finish in the Feature Race salvaged the weekend and limited the damage to her standings. Still, the DNF had a significant impact on her potential points tally.
Consequently, the round dropped Gademan back in the standings and allowed rivals to close in. After the strong start in Shanghai, it was a frustrating setback at a circuit where her pace suggested more was possible.
Gademan bounces back strongly at Silverstone
Silverstone gave Gademan the opportunity to respond, and she took it. Gademan secured her second podium of the season with a second-place finish in the Reverse Grid Race behind Felbermayr. It was a strong showing that demonstrated she still had the pace she had carried from Shanghai. The Feature Race followed a similar pattern, with Gademan finishing fourth to close out a productive weekend.
Ultimately, it gave her a strong foundation to build on heading into the summer break. She sits 58 points behind championship leader Palmowski, with the gap narrowed slightly but still significant.
What the second half of the 2026 F1 Academy season holds for Gademan
Gademan carries 50 points into the second half of the 2026 F1 Academy season. Three rounds remain at Zandvoort, Austin, and Las Vegas. Most importantly, Zandvoort is a circuit she knows well and where she claimed her maiden victory last year. It could be her best chance to close the gap to Palmowski. If she can deliver, a strong final three rounds could make the second half of the season very different.
