The 2026 F1 Academy Drivers’ Championship heads to the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) with Alisha Palmowski holding a commanding 48-point advantage over Emma Felbermayr, while nine drivers remain mathematically capable of claiming the title with two rounds remaining.
Palmowski leads on 136 points following her fourth victory of the season at Zandvoort, with Felbermayr second on 88. Nina Gademan remains third on 71, while Alba Larsen, Payton Westcott, Megan Bruce and Ella Lloyd lead a closely contested group further down the standings. Mathilda Paatz and Natalia Granada complete the nine remaining mathematical contenders.
Austin’s expanded three-race format keeps the Championship open. With 65 points available across the United States GP weekend and another 39 at the Las Vegas finale, drivers can collect a maximum of 104 points across the remaining five races.
The mathematics therefore leaves nine possible Champions, but the realistic battle centres overwhelmingly on Palmowski and Felbermayr. The Championship leader could secure the title before Las Vegas, while her nearest rival must begin reducing the deficit at COTA to keep the fight alive.
Nine drivers remain, but their Championship equations differ significantly
According to the official F1 Academy Drivers’ standings, nine drivers remain mathematically capable of winning the Championship ahead of the penultimate round.
The standings, points deficits and maximum possible final totals are:
- Alisha Palmowski — 136 points: Championship leader; maximum 240.
- Emma Felbermayr — 88 points: 48 behind; maximum 192.
- Nina Gademan — 71 points: 65 behind; maximum 175.
- Alba Larsen — 50 points: 86 behind; maximum 154.
- Payton Westcott — 49 points: 87 behind; maximum 153.
- Megan Bruce — 49 points: 87 behind; maximum 153.
- Ella Lloyd — 47 points: 89 behind; maximum 151.
- Mathilda Paatz — 35 points: 101 behind; maximum 139.
- Natalia Granada — 35 points: 101 behind; maximum 139.
Rafaela Ferreira sits tenth on 27 points, leaving her 109 behind Palmowski. Even if she collected all 104 remaining points, she would reach only 131, five fewer than the Championship leader’s current total. Consequently, Ferreira and every driver below her have already lost their mathematical chances of claiming the title.
The remaining contenders occupy vastly different positions. Felbermayr has a substantial deficit but can still overhaul Palmowski through strong performances across the final two rounds. Gademan requires a considerably larger turnaround, while Larsen and the remaining drivers depend on extraordinary combinations of results.
Paatz and Granada face the narrowest routes. Both can finish with a maximum of 139 points, just three above Palmowski’s existing total. Therefore, even minimal scoring from the Championship leader could end their mathematical title hopes.
Austin’s expanded format leaves 104 points available
The introduction of the three-race format at Montreal and Austin has significantly influenced the 2026 Championship battle.
Unlike the traditional two-race weekends, which offer a maximum of 39 points, COTA features an Opening Race, Reverse Grid Race and Feature Race. The additional full-points contest increases the maximum weekend haul to 65.
The points available at Austin are:
- Opening Race victory: 25 points, plus 1 for fastest lap.
- Reverse Grid Race victory: 10 points, plus 1 for fastest lap.
- Feature Race victory: 25 points, plus 1 for fastest lap.
- Feature Race pole position: 2 points.
The Opening Race and Feature Race award points to the top ten finishers, while the Reverse Grid Race rewards the top eight. Drivers must also finish inside the relevant points-paying positions to qualify for a fastest-lap bonus.
Although Qualifying determines all three grids, only the driver who occupies pole position on the final Feature Race grid earns the additional two points. The Opening Race and Reverse Grid Race do not award pole-position bonuses.
Consequently, a driver can theoretically gain as many as 65 points on a rival who fails to score at Austin. That exceeds Palmowski’s existing advantage over Felbermayr and equals Gademan’s current deficit.
However, Las Vegas will feature only two races, with 39 points available. Any contender who hopes to win the Championship must therefore leave Austin within reach of that smaller maximum.
Palmowski transformed the 2026 F1 Academy Drivers’ Championship after Shanghai
Palmowski’s current advantage reflects a substantial turnaround following the opening round in Shanghai, where Felbermayr emerged as the early Championship leader.
The Austrian claimed victory in the Chinese GP Feature Race and departed with 31 points. Palmowski followed on 25, leaving her six behind despite securing pole position.
However, Montreal transformed the Championship. Palmowski dominated the Canadian GP weekend, winning both the Opening Race and Feature Race. She also secured the fastest lap in the Opening Race and the two Feature Race pole points, collecting 53 of the 65 available.
The British driver consequently departed Montreal with 78 points, establishing a 25-point advantage over Felbermayr. Her dominant weekend demonstrated how quickly the expanded format could transform the Championship standings.
The Austrian responded at Silverstone, taking victory in the Reverse Grid Race to reduce the deficit to 19 points. However, Palmowski subsequently won the Feature Race, increasing her lead to 30.
Zandvoort strengthened Palmowski’s position further. Neither title contender scored in the Reverse Grid Race, but Palmowski recovered emphatically on Sunday, converting pole position into her fourth victory of the campaign and collecting the fastest-lap bonus.
Felbermayr finished fifth and secured only ten points across the Dutch weekend. Consequently, Palmowski extended her advantage to 48 points, her largest margin of the season.
The Championship standings after the Dutch GP Feature Race also reflected strong performances from Gademan and Larsen. Gademan strengthened her hold on third, while Larsen climbed to fourth following her double podium at Zandvoort.
Palmowski therefore arrives in Austin having transformed a six-point deficit after Shanghai into a 48-point lead. That represents a net swing of 54 points across Montreal, Silverstone and Zandvoort, highlighting the extent of her momentum.
Palmowski does not need to win in Austin
The Championship leader’s greatest advantage is the number of different scenarios available to secure the title. Palmowski does not need pole position, another race victory or even the largest Austin points haul if Felbermayr fails to reduce the gap sufficiently.
The central calculation concerns the 39 points available at Las Vegas. To guarantee the Championship on points, Palmowski must leave Austin at least 40 points ahead of every remaining contender.
She currently leads Felbermayr by 48 points, meaning she can afford to lose eight points to the Austrian across the weekend and still maintain a 40-point advantage.
Felbermayr must therefore gain at least nine points to retain a possible route through a points tie at Las Vegas. A ten-point net gain would reduce the deficit to 38, allowing the Austrian to overtake Palmowski outright with a maximum-scoring finale if the Championship leader subsequently failed to score.
The following examples illustrate the minimum Austin totals Felbermayr needs to retain an outright route relative to Palmowski:
- Palmowski scores 10 points: Felbermayr needs at least 20.
- Palmowski scores 20 points: Felbermayr needs at least 30.
- Palmowski scores 30 points: Felbermayr needs at least 40.
These calculations represent the required net gains rather than predictions about finishing combinations. Both drivers must still share the points available in the races, limiting which individual scores can occur together.
Nevertheless, the pattern demonstrates Palmowski’s considerable advantage. Even consistent finishes outside the podium positions could prove sufficient if Felbermayr cannot secure the victories and major points hauls needed to overturn the deficit.
Palmowski can guarantee the 2026 F1 Academy Drivers’ Championship title by reaching 193 points
Palmowski also has an absolute points target that would eliminate the need for comparisons with her rivals.
Felbermayr begins Austin with 88 points and can collect another 104 across the remaining rounds. Therefore, her theoretical maximum final total stands at 192.
Palmowski already has 136 points. If she adds 57 at COTA, she will reach 193, exceeding Felbermayr’s maximum and placing the title beyond every remaining contender.
That 57-point target provides a sufficient mathematical guarantee, rather than the minimum Palmowski necessarily needs. The Championship could become unreachable with a substantially smaller haul, depending on how many points Felbermayr and the other contenders score.
The British driver has already demonstrated her ability to score heavily across a three-race weekend. Her 53-point performance at Montreal came just four short of the absolute 57-point target.
However, Palmowski’s Championship advantage means she can secure the title without approaching those figures. The deciding factor will be the number of points her nearest rivals can gain across the weekend.
Felbermayr must reverse the momentum immediately
Felbermayr enters Austin facing a difficult but recoverable challenge. The Audi-backed Rodin Motorsport driver has claimed two victories and five podiums across the opening four rounds, but she must now turn her competitive race pace into a substantial reduction of Palmowski’s lead.
Her minimum requirement is a ten-point net gain if she wants to retain the possibility of finishing ahead outright at Las Vegas.
For example, if Palmowski scores 20 points at Austin, Felbermayr needs at least 30. A 30-point weekend for the leader would raise the Austrian’s requirement to 40.
A nine-point gain could also keep the title mathematically open through countback, although that scenario would require a very specific combination of results.
Felbermayr has finished ahead of Palmowski in five of their nine races, despite trailing by 48 points in the standings. This record demonstrates her ability to compete directly with the Championship leader, although she has struggled to convert those performances into equally substantial points hauls.
The difference lies primarily in the value of their strongest results. Palmowski has claimed four victories, including three Feature Race wins and one Opening Race victory. Felbermayr’s two victories came in the Shanghai Feature Race and Silverstone Reverse Grid Race.
Palmowski has therefore scored more heavily in the full-points contests while consistently capitalising on strong qualifying performances.
Felbermayr’s Reverse Grid Race record offers another reason for optimism. She outscored Palmowski in Shanghai, Montreal and Silverstone, while both failed to score at Zandvoort. However, the Reverse Grid Race awards a maximum of 11 points, meaning Felbermayr must also perform strongly in the Opening Race and Feature Race to create the substantial gains required.
Gademan needs a major turnaround to challenge for the 2026 F1 Academy Drivers’ Championship title
Gademan remains third with 71 points, leaving her 17 behind Felbermayr and 65 adrift of Palmowski.
The Alpine-backed MP Motorsport driver has recovered strongly following a difficult Montreal weekend. She returned to the podium in the Silverstone Reverse Grid Race before claiming third place in both races at Zandvoort.
Those performances strengthened her position in third and reduced the gap to Felbermayr. Nevertheless, her Championship prospects remain considerably weaker than those of the leading pair.
Gademan can finish the season with a maximum of 175 points, only 39 above Palmowski’s current total. Therefore, she must collect at least 66 of the remaining 104 points to finish ahead of a scoreless Palmowski.
More importantly, Gademan needs to gain at least 27 points on the Championship leader in Austin. That would reduce her deficit to 38 and preserve the possibility of overtaking Palmowski outright at Las Vegas.
If Palmowski scores ten points at COTA, Gademan must collect at least 37. A 20-point weekend for Palmowski raises that requirement to 47, while 30 points for the leader would force Gademan to score at least 57.
A 26-point gain would leave Gademan exactly 39 behind entering Las Vegas, creating a potential points tie. However, Palmowski already holds three Feature Race victories, while Gademan has none.
With only two Feature Races remaining, Gademan cannot match Palmowski’s victory count in that category. Consequently, she must finish ahead on points rather than rely on countback.
Her immediate opportunity may therefore involve challenging Felbermayr for second, although an exceptional Austin performance could still revive her mathematical title hopes.
Larsen, Westcott, Bruce and Lloyd face increasingly narrow routes
The four drivers occupying fourth through seventh remain mathematically eligible, but their deficits leave very little room for error.
Larsen leads this group with 50 points following her strongest weekend of the season at Zandvoort. The Ferrari-backed driver finished second in both races, collecting 26 points and climbing from eighth to fourth in the Championship.
However, she trails Palmowski by 86 points. To retain the possibility of overtaking the leader outright at Las Vegas, Larsen must gain at least 48 points on her during Austin.
Westcott and Bruce sit one point further back, tied on 49. Both require a minimum 49-point net gain at COTA to preserve an outright route to the title.
Westcott arrives with momentum following her maiden F1 Academy victory in the Zandvoort Reverse Grid Race. She converted reverse-grid pole into victory and collected the fastest-lap bonus, taking the maximum 11 points from Saturday’s contest.
The victory temporarily lifted Westcott into fourth in the Championship, although Larsen subsequently reclaimed the position through her second-place finish in Sunday’s Feature Race. Nevertheless, Westcott’s breakthrough result strengthened her prospects of finishing among the leading drivers in her rookie campaign.
Bruce, meanwhile, demonstrated her potential with two podium finishes in Montreal. However, the Campos Racing driver has struggled to reproduce those results consistently since the Canadian weekend.
Lloyd completes the group with 47 points, leaving her 89 behind Palmowski. The McLaren-backed Rodin Motorsport driver must gain at least 51 points at Austin to retain an outright Championship route.
For all four drivers, the requirements are extreme. Each needs an exceptional points haul, very limited scoring from Palmowski and sufficiently poor results from the other leading contenders.
Their more realistic opportunities involve challenging for victories, improving their final Championship positions and influencing the title fight by taking points away from Palmowski and Felbermayr.
Paatz and Granada effectively need perfection
Paatz and Granada occupy eighth and ninth respectively, with 35 points each. Their identical totals leave both drivers 101 behind Palmowski, while their maximum possible final scores stand at 139.
Consequently, either driver must collect at least 102 of the remaining 104 points to finish ahead of Palmowski’s existing 136, assuming the Championship leader fails to score again.
That allows both drivers to lose only two points across the remaining five races. Their prospects therefore depend on near-perfect results alongside extraordinary difficulties for Palmowski and the other contenders.
The Austin calculations reinforce that challenge. To reduce the deficit to 38 and preserve the possibility of overtaking Palmowski outright at Las Vegas, Paatz and Granada must each gain at least 63 points on the Championship leader.
With only 65 available at COTA, they would need to dominate virtually every scoring opportunity while Palmowski remained almost entirely scoreless.
Paatz has already demonstrated race-winning capability through her Montreal Reverse Grid Race victory, while Granada secured fourth place in the Zandvoort Feature Race. Nevertheless, neither has produced the consistent performances necessary to approach the required totals.
Their Championship hopes could also end with minimal scoring from Palmowski. If Palmowski adds three points, she will reach 139, matching the absolute maximum available to Paatz and Granada.
Neither PREMA Racing driver has a Feature Race victory, meaning even two wins across Austin and Las Vegas would leave them behind Palmowski’s existing three on countback. Therefore, three additional points would eliminate both drivers, despite the possibility of matching Palmowski’s points total.
Austin could eliminate several contenders before Sunday’s Feature Race
The three-race format introduces multiple mathematical checkpoints before the weekend concludes.
An important distinction concerns when the Feature Race pole-position bonus enters the Championship standings. The regulations award those two points to the driver on the final Feature Race grid, rather than automatically crediting the fastest qualifier before the grid becomes official.
Therefore, the maximum points remaining after each stage depends on whether the Feature Race pole points have entered the standings.
Before accounting for those pole points, the theoretical points still to allocate are:
- Before Austin: 104 points.
- After the Opening Race: 78 points, comprising 11 from the Reverse Grid Race, 28 from the Austin Feature Race including pole, and 39 from Las Vegas.
- After the Reverse Grid Race: 67 points, comprising 28 from the Austin Feature Race including pole, and 39 from Las Vegas.
- After the Austin Feature Race: 39 points, all available at Las Vegas.
Once officials allocate Austin’s two Feature Race pole points, the remaining maximum falls by two. Therefore, if the standings already include those points after the Reverse Grid Race, only 65 points remain rather than 67.
These distinctions prevent the calculations from counting the pole-position bonus twice or overlooking its allocation.
The Reverse Grid Race represents Palmowski’s first potential opportunity to secure the title before the weekend concludes. Before allocation of the Feature Race pole points, a lead of at least 68 over every rival would guarantee the Championship outright on points, because only 67 remain available.
Once the two pole points enter the standings, the equivalent outright title-clinching threshold becomes a 66-point lead, with only 65 still available.
A smaller advantage could also prove sufficient if the remaining results could not overturn Palmowski’s countback position.
The same checkpoint threatens the remaining contenders. Any driver who trails the Championship leader by more than the outstanding points total will lose the mathematical chance to catch her. A deficit equal to the remaining total leaves only a potential tie, which might not suffice because of countback.
Gademan, for example, cannot match Palmowski’s existing Feature Race victory count, regardless of what happens in the final two Feature Races. Consequently, she needs to remain within range of an outright points victory rather than rely on a tie.
Austin could therefore reduce the nine-driver mathematical contest considerably before Sunday’s Feature Race.
The Austin Feature Race could decide the Championship
Sunday’s Feature Race represents the next major opportunity for Palmowski to secure the title.
Once the race concludes, only 39 points will remain available at Las Vegas. Palmowski will therefore guarantee the Championship on points if she holds an advantage of at least 40 over every remaining contender.
The required net gains for each challenger to retain an outright title route at Las Vegas are:
- Felbermayr: 10 points on Palmowski.
- Gademan: 27 points.
- Larsen: 48 points.
- Westcott: 49 points.
- Bruce: 49 points.
- Lloyd: 51 points.
- Paatz: 63 points.
- Granada: 63 points.
Each figure represents the minimum Austin gain necessary to reduce the current deficit to 38 points. A 38-point gap would allow the chasing driver to move ahead outright with a maximum 39-point Las Vegas weekend if Palmowski failed to score.
A driver who leaves Austin exactly 39 points behind could theoretically draw level, but the Championship outcome would depend on countback. Palmowski’s three existing Feature Race victories already make that route impossible for every remaining mathematical contender except Felbermayr.
These requirements illustrate why Palmowski controls the contest. While her rivals must deliver substantially stronger weekends, the British driver can focus on consistent scoring and limiting their gains.
Countback could become decisive for Felbermayr in her 2026 F1 Academy Drivers’ Championship fight
Although Palmowski’s points advantage appears substantial, a tie cannot automatically be treated as a Championship victory for the leader.
Under the F1 Academy countback rules, Feature Race victories take priority when drivers finish level on points. Opening Race victories follow if the drivers remain tied, with Reverse Grid Race victories providing the next criterion.
Palmowski already holds three Feature Race victories, having won at Montreal, Silverstone and Zandvoort. Felbermayr has one, secured in Shanghai.
Therefore, the Austrian must win both remaining Feature Races at Austin and Las Vegas to match Palmowski’s existing total, assuming Palmowski does not claim another Feature Race victory.
If Felbermayr accomplishes that, both drivers would hold three Feature Race wins. Their Opening Race records would then become relevant.
Palmowski already has one Opening Race victory from Montreal. Felbermayr has none, meaning she would also need to win the Austin Opening Race to match Palmowski on that criterion.
If the drivers remained tied, Reverse Grid Race victories would become decisive. Felbermayr already has one from Silverstone, while Palmowski has none.
That sequence creates a narrow but genuine countback route for the Austrian. However, it requires a particular combination of victories, meaning simply drawing level on points would not necessarily secure the title.
A fourth Feature Race victory for Palmowski would remove that route entirely, since Felbermayr could finish the season with no more than three.
For Gademan and the other mathematical contenders without Feature Race victories, countback is considerably less favourable. None can match Palmowski’s existing three wins with only two Feature Races remaining, so they must finish ahead of the leader on points.
Qualifying could shape the Championship weekend
Qualifying will carry additional importance because one session determines the starting order for all three Austin races.
Each driver’s fastest lap establishes her position on the Feature Race grid, while her second-fastest lap determines the Opening Race order. The top eight qualifiers will then reverse their positions for the Reverse Grid Race.
Consequently, drivers must produce two competitive laps rather than rely on a single exceptional effort.
Palmowski has established a particularly strong record over one lap. She has secured four poles across the five qualifying grid opportunities so far, with Silverstone Wild Card entrant Chiara Bättig the only driver to deny her the leading qualifying position.
Her advantage was particularly notable at Zandvoort, where she qualified 0.864 seconds ahead of Larsen. The margin underlined her ability to produce exceptionally competitive laps when the Championship pressure increased.
Felbermayr has struggled to match that single-lap performance. Her strongest qualifying result remains third at Shanghai, while she has generally started further down the Feature Race grid.
The Austrian therefore needs to improve her qualifying form if she hopes to challenge Palmowski consistently across the higher-scoring races.
However, the Reverse Grid Race adds another dimension. Palmowski’s strong qualifying performances frequently leave her starting eighth on the reversed grid, while Felbermayr has sometimes benefited from more favourable starting positions.
Austin’s three-race format consequently demands a balance between outright qualifying speed and the ability to recover positions across different grid configurations.
Other drivers could influence the 2026 F1 Academy Drivers’ Championship title battle
Although Palmowski and Felbermayr remain the principal Championship contenders, the drivers behind them could significantly influence the outcome at COTA.
Gademan, Larsen and Westcott demonstrated strong pace at Zandvoort, while Bruce and Lloyd have also challenged for podium finishes earlier in the season.
Their performances could create important points swings. If Felbermayr wins a race while several drivers finish between her and Palmowski, the Austrian could reduce the deficit considerably. Conversely, Palmowski could benefit if those drivers finish ahead of Felbermayr and limit her scoring.
Austin’s Wild Card entrant introduces another unpredictable element.
Swedish racer Alexia Danielsson will make her F1 Academy debut in the TeamViewer-backed Hitech entry. Her confirmation as the Austin Wild Card followed an encouraging Rookie Test performance at Navarra, where she topped the afternoon session.
Danielsson follows Bättig’s impressive Wild Card appearance at Silverstone, where the Swiss driver secured pole position and second place in the Feature Race.
Although Danielsson does not feature among the remaining Championship contenders, a competitive debut could influence the points available to the regular drivers.
With three races on the schedule and several drivers capable of challenging near the front, Austin offers numerous opportunities for unexpected changes in the Championship picture.
Palmowski controls the title race, but Austin offers Felbermayr one final opportunity
Palmowski arrives at COTA as the clear Championship favourite after establishing a 48-point advantage through four victories, strong qualifying performances and consistent scoring in the higher-value races.
She does not need another victory to secure the title. Instead, she must prevent Felbermayr and the other contenders from making sufficiently large gains across the weekend.
Felbermayr faces the opposite challenge. Although her results demonstrate that she can compete with Palmowski, she must now convert that competitiveness into a substantial points swing. A ten-point gain would preserve an outright route to the title at Las Vegas, while a nine-point gain could retain only a narrow countback possibility.
Gademan remains mathematically involved but requires a minimum 27-point net gain. Behind her, Larsen, Westcott, Bruce, Lloyd, Paatz and Granada face increasingly improbable scenarios.
Their involvement nevertheless adds another dimension to the Austin weekend, as strong performances from the chasing drivers could influence the points available to both leading contenders.
The unusual points structure keeps all nine drivers mathematically eligible before Austin, but the practical distinction is considerably sharper. Palmowski has numerous routes to the title, Felbermayr remains the only realistic challenger, and the others need exceptional performances coupled with significant difficulties for the leaders.
Austin could therefore settle the Championship before Las Vegas or give Felbermayr one final opportunity to extend the battle. With 104 points still available, Palmowski holds the advantage, but the three-race weekend leaves room for one final shift in momentum.
2026 F1 Academy Drivers’ Championship summary ahead of Austin
Current Championship standings
- Alisha Palmowski — 136 points.
- Emma Felbermayr — 88 points.
- Nina Gademan — 71 points.
- Alba Larsen — 50 points.
- Payton Westcott — 49 points.
- Megan Bruce — 49 points.
- Ella Lloyd — 47 points.
- Mathilda Paatz — 35 points.
- Natalia Granada — 35 points.
Maximum points remaining
- Austin Opening Race — 26 points.
- Austin Reverse Grid Race — 11 points.
- Austin Feature Race, including pole — 28 points.
- Las Vegas weekend — 39 points.
- Total remaining — 104 points.
Palmowski’s title-winning scenarios
- A 57-point Austin weekend would take her to 193, beyond Felbermayr’s maximum possible final score of 192.
- A lead of at least 68 points after the Reverse Grid Race guarantees the title on points if the two Austin pole points remain outstanding.
- After the Austin pole points enter the standings, a lead of at least 66 points guarantees the title, with 65 race points remaining.
- A lead of at least 40 points after the Austin Feature Race guarantees the title on points.
- Smaller margins could also secure the Championship through countback.
Challengers’ minimum Austin gains for an outright title route
- Felbermayr — 10 points.
- Gademan — 27 points.
- Larsen — 48 points.
- Westcott and Bruce — 49 points each.
- Lloyd — 51 points.
- Paatz and Granada — 63 points each.
Key Championship implications
- Felbermayr remains the only challenger who could potentially defeat Palmowski on countback.
- Gademan and the other outsiders must finish ahead of Palmowski on points because they cannot match her existing three Feature Race victories.
- Paatz and Granada will lose their title chances once Palmowsk
