2026 F1 Academy standings after the Opening Race at the Canadian GP

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The first-ever F1 Academy Opening Race at the 2026 Canadian GP is in the books, with Palmowski taking a dominant lights-to-flag victory to move into the lead of the Drivers’ standings. After starting from pole, the Campos Racing driver controlled the race from the front and crossed the line with the largest winning margin in F1 Academy history.

Palmowski now leads the Drivers’ Championship with 51 points, moving ahead of Audi-backed Emma Felbermayr, who sits second on 32 after a difficult race in Montréal. Racing Bulls-backed Rafaela Ferreira rises to third with 25 points, while Alpine-backed Nina Gademan drops to fourth on 24.

Campos Racing also extended its advantage in the Teams’ Championship, moving to 96 points after a superb one-two start on the grid and another strong points haul.

Palmowski takes control of the Drivers’ Standings

The F1 Academy Canadian GP Opening Race served as a makeup for the cancelled Jeddah round, giving the grid an additional chance to score valuable championship points. Each driver’s second-fastest Qualifying lap set the starting order, with Palmowski lining up on pole ahead of teammate Megan Bruce.

Palmowski made the perfect launch when the lights went out and held the lead into Turn 1. Bruce also got away cleanly and settled into second, while championship leader Felbermayr suffered a disastrous start. The Rodin Motorsport driver briefly stalled on the grid before getting going again, dropping down the order and leaving herself with a recovery drive.

Further back, the opening lap brought more drama. Nina Gademan tried to make progress through the midfield, Ella Lloyd began climbing from P16 after her Qualifying troubles, and contact involving Esmee Kosterman and Ava Dobson added to the early chaos. Dobson suffered a deflated rear-right tyre, while Kosterman later picked up further damage and was forced into the pits.

Palmowski dominates as Bruce shines

Out front, Palmowski quickly built a gap and controlled the pace of the race. The Campos driver extended her advantage beyond one second in the early laps before continuing to pull away from the rest of the field.

Behind her, Bruce defended strongly from Payton Westcott, Mathilda Paatz, and Rafaela Ferreira as the fight for the podium intensified. Westcott initially looked set to challenge for a strong result, but a five-second penalty for failing to follow the Race Director’s instructions left her vulnerable.

The Mercedes-backed PREMA driver’s race then unravelled further when she ran wide while attempting to attack Bruce, sliding across the grass and dropping several positions. She later pitted as PREMA cleared grass from the radiator after the car began to overheat and lose straight-line speed.

That drama opened the door for Paatz, Ferreira, Larsen, and Lloyd to move up the order. Lloyd produced one of the standout recovery drives of the race, charging from P16 on the grid to sixth at the flag after a series of bold overtakes.

Penalties reshape the final order of the F1 Academy Opening Race at the 2026 Canadian GP

Although Palmowski remained unchallenged at the front, the final classification changed after penalties were applied.

Gademan crossed the line seventh but received a five-second penalty for failing to follow the Race Director’s instructions after cutting the track and gaining a lasting advantage. That dropped her to ninth in the final results, promoting Kaylee Countryman and Ella Stevens.

Rachel Robertson also received a five-second penalty for causing a collision with Natalia Granada, dropping from 11th to 13th. Westcott received an additional five-second penalty for failing to serve her in-race penalty, though she remained classified in 16th. Kosterman was also handed a five-second penalty for speeding in the pit lane.

At the front, however, there was no change. Palmowski crossed the line more than nine seconds clear to secure a commanding victory, fastest lap, and the championship lead.

Campos Racing strengthens Teams’ Standings lead

Palmowski’s victory and Bruce’s superb second-place finish helped Campos Racing make a significant move in the Teams’ Championship. The Spanish outfit now leads with 96 points, comfortably ahead of Rodin Motorsport on 57.

PREMA Racing sits third with 41 points, narrowly ahead of MP Motorsport on 38 after Ferreira and Paatz both scored strongly in Montréal. ART Grand Prix remains fifth with 13 points, while Hitech sits sixth with one point.

The result marks a major swing from the standings after Race 2 at the Chinese GP, where Felbermayr led Palmowski by six points and Rodin Motorsport held the Teams’ Championship lead. After the Canadian GP Opening Race, Palmowski has turned that deficit into a 19-point advantage, while Campos Racing has moved firmly clear at the top of the Teams’ standings.