F1 Academy | 2026 Dutch GP | Qualifying results

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F1 Academy headed into Qualifying at the 2026 Dutch GP after a disrupted Free Practice session at Zandvoort, where Nina Gademan set the pace in tricky conditions.

The damp track forced drivers to build tyre temperature and confidence through the early laps. Ella Lloyd set the first benchmark before Emma Felbermayr and Alba Larsen moved to the top, with Larsen leading when Ava Dobson hit the barrier at Turn 9 and triggered the first red flag.

Rain then added another challenge before Race Control resumed the session. Championship leader Alisha Palmowski had waited in the pits during the early running, leaving her short on time when the field returned to the track. Rafaela Ferreira briefly went quickest, but Gademan delivered the strongest lap late on with a 1:38.729.

Jade Jacquet then lost control at the exit of Turn 7, bringing out a second red flag and ending the session early. Gademan finished fastest from Ferreira and Larsen, while Palmowski ended the session tenth without a representative flying lap.

With Gademan quickest, Ferreira and Larsen close behind, and Palmowski still needing to show her true pace, Qualifying would reveal who had adapted best to Zandvoort’s changing conditions.

F1 Academy Qualifying session at the Dutch GP goes green

F1 Academy Qualifying at the Dutch GP began on a damp but drying Zandvoort track, with drivers searching for grip and trying to manage limited wet tyres for the rest of the weekend.

Alba Larsen set the early pace, while Alisha Palmowski, Nina Gademan, Lisa Billard and Ella Lloyd all showed speed as the conditions slowly improved. Traffic quickly became a factor, and several drivers had small moments as they pushed on the wet surface.

Red flags and tyre decisions shape the session

The first major interruption came when Billard lost the rear at Turn 2 and slid into the gravel, ending her session after she had shown promising pace.

As the track dried, teams faced a difficult tyre call. Some drivers stayed on wets, while others switched to slicks. Lloyd briefly made the wet tyres work and moved to provisional pole, but the slick runners soon began to find more time.

A second red flag followed when Rafaela Ferreira hit the wall, leaving the field with one final chance to improve.

Palmowski delivers late

Most drivers switched to slicks for the final runs, while Lloyd stayed on wets and dropped back as the track came towards the dry tyre. The final minutes brought a rapid shuffle, with Gademan and Larsen both looking strong.

Palmowski then found clear air and delivered when it mattered. The championship leader set the fastest first and middle sectors before crossing the line with a 1:40.9, taking F1 Academy Dutch GP pole by almost nine tenths.

Behind her, the order continued to change, while wildcard Zoe Florescu impressed late on by climbing to seventh and securing a reverse-grid spot for Race 1.