It is time for Race 1 in Canada for F1 Academy. Following the conditions displayed on the final day of the Miami Grand Prix, Race 2 was postponed, and is now taking place during the F1 Academy weekend in Canada. Using the same starting grid that was originally set in Miami’s qualifying, we see Chloe Chambers setting off from pole position. Lined up beside Chambers is her teammate Alisha Palmowski, as Campos Racing locked out the front row.
Doriane Pin and Lia Block started Race 1 behind them on row two of the grid. Aurelia Nobels, Rafaela Ferreira, Ella Lloyd, Emma Felbermayr, and Tina Hausmann fill grid slots five to nine. Championship leader, Maya Weug, set off from P10 after a tough Miami Qualifying session.
With Race 1 being the replacement of Miami’s Race 2, Miami wild card Ava Dobson is not able take part, Canada’s wild card, Mathilda Paatz taking her place, at the rear of the grid.
The battle begins
As the green flag waved, and the lights went out, Chambers took the lead off of the jump, continuing her lead into turn 1. Palmowski followed her through in P2, while Pin slotted into P3. Pin and Nobels made contact into turn one, Nobels damaging her front wing.
Lloyd began to attack Nobels, as Palmowski forced her teammate Chambers to defend. Lloyd moved up on Nobels, nearly making contact. Pin locks up through the final chicane.
Palmowski attempted a move on Chambers through turn one, they made contact, running Chambers wide with wing damage, while Palmowski spun to a stop. Both cars were able to continue on, Chambers miraculously maintained her lead.
Weug entered the pit lane, presumably with the same issues as Friday, managing to rejoin in P18. Chambers and Palmowski are noted for causing a collision, and will be investigate after the race. Pin continued to apply heavy pressure on a damaged Chambers, passing without fight into turn eight.
Chambers made a late dive through the outside of the hair pin. She locked up, Pin gained the position back. The battle between the two remained close. They ran side by side into turn one, Pin barely hanging on, and Chambers made the move stick by turn four.
Chambers made a mistake, causing her front wing to completely fall off and stick under her car. This allowed both Pin and Lloyd to move up into P1 and P2. Chambers was shown the black and orange mechanical flag, forced to pit the following lap.
Two championship contenders struggled
Weug, the championship leader going into Race 1, remained in a league of her own at the rear of the field. Chambers entered Race 1 at third in championship, and reentered the race in P16.
By lap 6, Weug was forced back into the pit lane, MP Motorsport continually called her in to temporarily fix her issue, sending her back out until it is a problem again.
Gademan launched towards the rear of Felbermayr down the back straight, unable to make a move. Race control noted Gademan for leaving the track and gaining an advantage. Weug returned to the pit lane yet again.
Palmowski chased down Chong, sticking to her rear, as she looked to snatch P9.
The halfway point
As lap 9 began, Ciconte made a move up on home hero Havrda to take P14. Palmowski and Chong battled side by side, Chong maintained her lead. Palmowski attempted a move on Chong again through the hairpin, still unable to make it stick. This allowed Paatz to join their battle.
Palmowski and Chong went side by side through the first two turns again, the two being chased down by Paatz further. Through the chicane, Palmowski finally made her move into P9, until Chong returned for her position, then cutting the final corner. Weug remained stationary in the pit lane, while her team attempted to find a solution to the issue.
Wild card entry, Mathilda Paatz fell victim to the wall of champions, after she hit the sausage kerb. The hard impact naturally brought out a Safety Car. A disappointing ending for the German, after running a great race.
All cars were redirected through the pit lane, behind the safety car.
Safety Car ended
The Safety Car peeled back into the pit lane, as racing began again at the conclusion of lap 14. The final three laps of racing remained.
Pin had a great restart and caught Lloyd off guard. Felbermayr began to apply pressure on Lloyd, as she sought out her P2 position. Pin pulled away as the rest of the grid remained in order. Ferreira locked up, taking the escape road, before she collected Chong.
Ciconte and Crone made contact into the chicane. Ciconte retained damage, but was able to continue on, although she was shown the black and orange flag. The Safety Car made a quick return to the track.
The race finished under Safety Car, Pin taking the win, while Weug ended with a DNF. This meant that Pin overtook the championship lead.
Results
1 | D. Pin
2 | E. Lloyd
3 | E. Felbermayr
4 | N. Gademan
5 | L. Block
6 |A. Larsen
7 | T. Hausmann
8 | A. Palmowski
9 | C. Chambers
10 | A. Anagnostiadis
11 | A. Nobels
12 | N. Havrda
13 | C. Crone
14 | DNF R. Ferreira
15 | DNF J. Ciconte
16 | DNF C. Chong
17 | DNF M. Paatz
18 | DNF M. Weug
