Alisha Palmowski was left with a missed opportunity at the 2026 F1 Academy round in Shanghai after a slow start from pole position cost her a chance at victory at the Chinese GP. Starting from the front for the first time in the series, the Campos Racing driver struggled to launch cleanly as the lights went out, allowing Alba Larsen and Emma Felbermayr to move ahead into Turn 1. From that moment, the situation forced Palmowski into recovery mode rather than allowing him to control the race. Despite the early setback, she showed strong pace throughout.
Palmowski reflects on costly start at the 2026 F1 Academy Chinese GP
Speaking after the race, Palmowski was clear about where the opportunity slipped away, pointing to the launch off the line as the defining moment of her race weekend.
“I just fell into a lot of wheelspin to be honest. That’s where the race was lost for me today. There are a lot of positives today – I think the balance of the car seemed a lot better than yesterday, and the overall pace was a lot better than yesterday.
“Huge steps forward from last year in terms of my driving, so there are a lot of positives. I think this track has always been my weakest circuit to be honest. I’m not a fan. It just doesn’t click for me for whatever reason, so it was always damage limitation coming into this weekend for me.
“All things considered, it’s not a bad result. Obviously I’m disappointed because I ultimately lost it at the start but we’ll review that. We now know what I need to address going forward to ensure it doesn’t happen again.”
Although disappointed to miss out on the win, Palmowski underlined the progress made both in terms of car performance and her own development behind the wheel, particularly at a circuit she has historically found difficult.
Encouraged by pace despite near-miss for victory
The final laps saw Palmowski close rapidly on Felbermayr, raising the possibility of a last-corner move for the lead. However, she ultimately opted against taking a high-risk approach, choosing instead to secure valuable points for the championship at the 2026 F1 Academy Chinese GP.
Reflecting on that decision and her mindset moving forward, she said: “I needed to be a tenth closer to be able to make that divebomb. I did think about it on that final lap but equally, P2 is 18 points which I can’t afford to lose. It’s not a bad result, and it’s very much a long game.
“We’re one race down. We’ve still got quite a lot to go so it’s all still to play for. I was definitely the quickest driver at Montreal last year so there’s no reason why that would change this year. I’m more determined than ever to keep racking up the points. Obviously, try and get another few wins, another pole position – that would be great. I’m very confident.”
While victory slipped through Palmowski’s fingers in Shanghai, the Campos Racing driver leaves the opening round encouraged by her pace and determined to build momentum across the remainder of the 2026 F1 Academy season.
