2026 F1 Academy standings after Race 2 at Chinese GP

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Race 2 at the Chinese GP delivered major changes to the 2026 F1 Academy Drivers’ Championship standings as Audi-backed Emma Felbermayr surged to the top after a tense and incident-filled race in Shanghai.

After two races, Felbermayr leads the standings with 31 points, ahead of Red Bull-backed Alisha Palmowski on 25 and Alpine-backed Nina Gademan on 22. The result also reshaped the Teams’ Championship battle, with Rodin Motorsport taking the lead from PREMA Racing.

Chaotic Race 2 transforms the early Championship standings

Race 2 began with immediate drama. Ferrari-backed Alba Larsen launched brilliantly from the grid and snatched the lead after Palmowski suffered a poor start. Felbermayr quickly moved into second place and stayed within striking distance.

However, the race soon neutralised when Williams-backed Jade Jacquet locked up into a corner and collided with LEGO-supported Esmee Kosterman on Lap 6. Race control deployed the Safety Car while marshals cleared the cars.

The race restarted on Lap 8, but the next twist arrived almost instantly. Larsen ran wide just before the line and dropped down the order, which handed Felbermayr the race lead at the start of Lap 9. Soon afterwards, another incident brought out yellow flags when PUMA-supported Robertson and Wild Card Entry Shi Wei collided elsewhere on the circuit.

Despite the interruptions, the fight for victory intensified in the closing stages. Palmowski closed the gap and pressured Felbermayr throughout the final lap. Nevertheless, Felbermayr defended firmly and held on to secure the win.

The victory propelled Felbermayr from third after Race 1 to championship leader with 31 points. Palmowski climbed to second with 25 points, while Race 1 winner Gademan now sits third on 22 points. Meanwhile, Mercedes-backed Payton Westcott occupies fourth with 18 points after another solid points finish.

Further down the standings, McLaren-backed Ella Lloyd and Racing Bulls-backed Rafaela Ferreira sit on 13 points each with Ferreira fifth and Lloyd sixth. Sephora-supported Natalia Granada sits seventh with 8 points, while Lisa Billard holds eighth with 7.

Larsen recovered to score four points, placing ninth overall, while TAG Heuer-supported Megan Bruce, American Express-supported Ava Dobson, and others round out the classification.

Rodin moves ahead in Teams’ Championship

The Teams’ Championship also shifted significantly after Race 2. Rodin Motorsport now leads with 44 points, narrowly ahead of Campos Racing on 40. MP Motorsport and PREMA Racing remain tied on 26 points each after a competitive opening weekend. Meanwhile, ART Grand Prix holds fifth with 7 points, and Hitech sits sixth with a single point.

With the championship already tightening after just two races, the early momentum now firmly sits with Felbermayr and Rodin Motorsport.