The 2025 F1 Academy season has already delivered three maiden race winners. Across the first four rounds, six different drivers have taken victory. Returning contenders Maya Weug, Chloe Chambers, and Doriane Pin each claimed wins in their second F1 Academy seasons, while Ella Lloyd, Alisha Palmowski, and Emma Felbermayr added their names to the winners’ list with breakthrough victories this year.
Alisha Palmowski – Campos Racing
Back in Round 1 in China, Palmowski claimed her first F1 Academy race win in Race 1. The season opener was dominated by Safety Car periods, starting on lap one when local Wild Card, Shi Wei, spun out. Palmowkski was running in P2, behind Nina Gademan at the time of the first restart, but it was short lived as Aurelia Nobles found herself in the grass after contact with teammate Lia Block. It was then called upon for a third time for Chloe Chong, who locked up on cold tyres and collided with Nicole Havrda.
On the final restart, Gademan maintained the lead from Palmowski, but a late technical issue dropped her down the order. Palmowski seized the opportunity, taking the lead on the penultimate lap ahead of teammate Chloe Chambers. Chambers closed to within two-tenths on the final lap, but Palmowski held firm to secure her maiden F1 Academy victory.
Alisha Palmowski has remained a consistent force in the 2025 F1 Academy season, with her strong Qualifying performances laying the foundation for regular points finishes. She currently sits fifth in the standings on 53 points, having scored in every race except Race 1 in Canada.
Ella Lloyd – Rodin Motorsports
Ella Lloyd opened her rookie F1 Academy campaign on a strong note, scoring points in both races of the China round and collecting nine points in her first weekend. She carried that momentum into Round 2 in Jeddah, where she qualified seventh, just seven-tenths shy of Chloe Chambers’ pole time. Thanks to the reverse grid for Race 1, Lloyd started from P2 and wasted no time in taking the lead from Emma Felbermayr within the opening laps. Despite sustained pressure from Maya Weug, she held her ground to claim her maiden F1 Academy victory.
Since then, Lloyd’s season has remained promising, marked by consistent performances and strong points finishes. Her most successful outing came in Canada, which featured an unusual schedule after adverse weather in Miami saw Race 2 relocated. Across the expanded race programme, Lloyd delivered an impressive 44-point haul, the highest single-round total of her campaign so far.
With 67 points on the board, Lloyd has firmly established herself as one of the standout rookies of 2025, blending composure under pressure with an ability to capitalise on race-day opportunities.
Emma Felbermayr – Rodin Motorsports
Felbermayr’s first few races proved challenging, beginning with her debut in China. She qualified P7, but contact from Alba Larsen and Tina Hausmann in Race 1 dropped her out of the points. She bounced back in Race 2, finishing P5 and securing her first points of the season.
Round 2 in Jeddah started promisingly with a front-row start in Race 1; however, she struggled with pace and slipped to P9. Her troubles continued in Race 2 when contact on Lap 2 dropped her out of the points, compounded by a 10-second time penalty for the incident. In Miami, she looked set to claim her maiden victory after leading from the start in Race 1, but mechanical issues forced her to retire.
Canada was where it finally came together. Although she was disqualified from Race 1 after finishing P3 due to her car being underweight, she didn’t let it derail her weekend. In Race 2, a late safety car bunched up the field and gave Felbermayr the perfect chance to strike. On the final lap, she overtook Gademan to secure her first race win. She finished outside the points in Race 3. Felbermayr now sits on 21 points, holding P9 in the Drivers’ Standings.
What remains for F1 Academy’s Felbermayr, Lloyd and Palmowski ?
There are 3 rounds left of the 2025 F1 Academy season. With plenty of points on the table, all three driver’s will be looking to make a strong impression heading into the second half of their first season. F1 Academy returns in Zandvoort on the 29th to 31st of August.
