Rafaela Ferreira enters Saturday’s 2026 F1 Academy Reverse Grid Race at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) determined to secure her maiden victory after qualifying eighth and earning pole position for the second race of the United States GP weekend. The Racing Bulls-backed Campos Racing driver hopes to convert her promising qualifying performance into a breakthrough result after another disappointing Opening Race.
The Brazilian’s ambitions extend beyond securing her first podium, with Ferreira eager to make amends for the victory that slipped away during June’s Canadian GP. Having previously demonstrated her ability to control a race from the front, the 21-year-old believes she can challenge for victory in Austin, provided she avoids the mistakes that proved costly in Montreal.
However, Friday’s Opening Race offered another reminder of the unpredictable nature of F1 Academy competition. An opening-lap collision compromised Ferreira’s race, leaving her without points and increasing the significance of Saturday’s opportunity.
Ferreira encouraged by progress during Austin qualifying
Ferreira entered the Austin weekend searching for greater consistency after a challenging second F1 Academy campaign. However, the Brazilian demonstrated encouraging pace during Thursday’s Qualifying session, briefly featuring among the leading five drivers before ultimately securing eighth.
Although she could not improve on her final flying lap, her result proved valuable under the championship’s reverse-grid regulations, which invert the leading eight qualifying positions for Saturday’s race.
Consequently, Ferreira secured pole position, giving her an opportunity to lead the field away and challenge for her first victory.
Reflecting on her performance, Ferreira highlighted the progress Campos Racing had made between Free Practice and Qualifying, while acknowledging that further improvements remained possible.
“I’m very happy, to be honest,” she reflected. “I think we made good progress from Free Practice to Qualifying.”
“I still think we have some lap time to find and can take another step forward for the races, but in general, I’m very happy. It was a very competitive session.”
The Brazilian’s performance came during a particularly competitive session, with several drivers exchanging positions as track conditions improved.
Despite missing out on a higher qualifying position, Ferreira recognised the opportunity presented by starting at the front of Saturday’s field.
Ferreira welcomes second opportunity to start from the front
Although Ferreira briefly occupied a position inside the top five during Qualifying, her inability to improve on her final lap ultimately dropped her to eighth.
Nevertheless, the result placed her in an advantageous position for Saturday’s Reverse Grid Race, where she will start ahead of the other championship contenders.
Ferreira has previously demonstrated her ability to capitalise on strong starting positions, particularly during the Canadian GP, where she moved into the lead during the opening stages.
Consequently, the Brazilian expressed confidence in her ability to repeat that performance in Austin.
“I was in the top five, and then on the last lap I couldn’t really improve,” she explained. “But I’m very happy that I’ll be on pole for the reverse-grid.
“It’s a very good opportunity. I’ve had the chance to start on the front row a few times this year, so I’ll just try to repeat that.”
Her qualifying performance also provides encouragement following a difficult opening half of the season, during which Ferreira struggled to consistently convert promising pace into strong race results.
With the leading championship contenders starting further down the order, Saturday offers an opportunity to challenge for victory without immediately facing the pressure of battling through the midfield.
Opening Race collision compounds Ferreira’s difficult weekend
Despite her encouraging qualifying performance, Ferreira’s Austin weekend took a disappointing turn during Friday’s Opening Race.
Starting eighth, the Campos Racing driver became involved in an opening-lap collision with Hitech’s Rachel Robertson while battling for position through the first sector.
Robertson attempted to overtake Ferreira around the outside of Turn 4, but the pair ran wide as they approached the following corner. The Hitech driver subsequently made contact with Ferreira, sending the Brazilian into a spin and compromising her race.
Robertson sustained race-ending damage, prompting the first Safety Car intervention, while Ferreira continued after losing several positions.
The stewards subsequently determined that Robertson bore primary responsibility for the collision and imposed a three-place grid penalty for Saturday’s race. The decision followed an investigation into the incident, with officials considering the limited space available during the congested opening lap.
Although Ferreira continued, she finished outside the points and was eventually classified 14th following post-race penalties for Robertson and Ella Lloyd.
Consequently, Saturday presents an important opportunity to recover from the setback and secure her first podium of the campaign.
Montreal heartbreak remains a significant learning experience
Ferreira’s latest opportunity to start from the front inevitably brings back memories of the Canadian GP, where she appeared set to secure her maiden F1 Academy victory.
During the Montreal Reverse Grid Race, Ferreira started alongside polesitter Kaylee Countryman before making an excellent getaway to seize the lead.
The Brazilian subsequently controlled the race, maintaining her advantage through a Safety Car restart and demonstrating the pace necessary to challenge for victory.
However, officials placed her under investigation for a possible false start. A five-second time penalty ultimately denied Ferreira the result, despite her crossing the finish line first.
The penalty promoted Mathilda Paatz to victory, handing the Aston Martin-backed driver her first F1 Academy win while leaving Ferreira without her breakthrough result.
Nevertheless, Ferreira remains encouraged by her performance in Canada, particularly her ability to control the race from the front.
“The race in Canada was very, very good,” she said. “The pace was there and we could keep P1 the whole race, so we just need to do the same thing here,” she said.
Her comments suggest that the Brazilian has drawn confidence from the experience despite the disappointment of losing what appeared to be a certain victory.
Ferreira determined to avoid repeating Montreal mistakes
Although Ferreira demonstrated race-winning pace in Montreal, the false-start penalty highlighted the importance of execution, particularly when starting from the front.
The incident proved costly in a championship where opportunities to challenge for victory can be limited, especially for drivers who regularly qualify outside the leading positions.
However, Saturday’s race provides Ferreira with an opportunity to apply the lessons from Canada and demonstrate greater consistency under pressure.
The Brazilian has already experienced the challenges associated with leading a Reverse Grid Race, including maintaining concentration through Safety Car interventions and managing the pressure of defending against faster rivals.
Having reflected on the circumstances surrounding her Montreal penalty, Ferreira believes she understands what she must change to avoid another disappointing outcome.
“I need to learn from my mistakes and not make a false start again. I know what I need to do, so I’m just focused on it.”
The importance of a clean getaway will be particularly significant in Austin, where the long run towards Turn 1 provides opportunities for drivers behind to challenge immediately.
Nevertheless, Ferreira’s previous performance suggests that she possesses the pace to remain competitive once she establishes herself at the front.
Ferreira remains determined to secure maiden F1 Academy podium
Now competing in her second F1 Academy season, Ferreira continues searching for her first podium finish despite showing promising pace on several occasions.
The Brazilian has endured a frustrating campaign, with incidents, penalties and missed opportunities preventing her from translating competitive performances into the results she believes are achievable.
Her Canadian GP performance remains the clearest example of that frustration, having crossed the finish line first only to lose the victory through a penalty.
Meanwhile, Friday’s Opening Race in Austin added another setback when her collision with Robertson left her outside the points.
However, Ferreira remains focused on the opportunities ahead rather than allowing those disappointments to undermine her confidence.
When asked how determined she was to secure her first podium, the Racing Bulls-backed driver made clear that her ambitions extend beyond merely finishing inside the top three.
“A lot,” she replied when asked how hungry she was for a maiden podium. “It’s been two years with no podiums. It’s been crazy. I just want this win.”
Her response underlined the frustration accumulated across two seasons of competition, alongside her determination to finally secure a result that reflects her potential.
Austin presents opportunity for overdue breakthrough
Ferreira approaches Saturday’s Reverse Grid Race with both an opportunity and a point to prove after her disappointing Opening Race and the missed victory in Montreal.
Her eighth-place qualifying result gives her the advantage of pole position, while her previous experience leading a Reverse Grid Race provides encouragement as she prepares for another attempt.
However, converting that starting position into victory will require a clean launch, consistent pace and effective race management against a competitive field.
The Austin qualifying order places Williams-backed Jade Jacquet alongside Ferreira on the front row, with Lisa Billard and Alba Larsen immediately behind.
Meanwhile, championship leader Alisha Palmowski starts eighth, while Nina Gademan and Emma Felbermayr also face the challenge of recovering positions.
Although Ferreira remains outside the leading championship battle, a victory would represent a significant personal milestone and provide a much-needed reward for her progress.
With two races remaining in Austin before the championship heads to Las Vegas, the Brazilian will hope to turn her frustration into motivation and finally secure the breakthrough result she has spent two seasons pursuing.
