Rachel Robertson stepped up to F1 Academy for the Las Vegas season finale, joining Hitech TGR alongside Nicole Havrda and Payton Westcott while Aiva Anagnostiadis recovered from surgery. Despite limited single-seater experience, the 18-year-old delivered an impressive debut that underlined both her adaptability and natural pace. She arrived with some familiarity with the series, having previously participated in an F1 Academy rookie test.
Reflecting on her first competitive weekend, Robertson said: “I think it’s definitely been such a big learning curve, especially gaining experience on a street circuit which I’ve never done before and the other drivers have had quite a lot of experience this year on (them).“
Highest finish of the season for Hitech TGR
Robertson made an immediate impact by out-qualifying both of her teammates. She followed that up with Hitech TGR’s strongest result of the season in Race 1, finishing an impressive fourth. Scoring points on debut highlighted her rapid progression and ability to perform under pressure.
“Getting P4 on Friday was very good. Then on Saturday, just gaining more experience with the car and knowing how it feels, especially with the track – it changes all the time. It’s been a great weekend and lots of improvements.”
Race 2 proved more difficult. Robertson became involved in an incident with Joanne Ciconte and Westcott at Turn 5 and ultimately finished 14th after receiving a ten-second penalty for causing a collision. Despite the setback, she remained focused on the broader lessons taken from the weekend.
“I’d take just the experience. Hopefully next year I’m able to get a seat, and this street circuit experience will be so valuable heading into next year.”
With a standout debut, a season-best result for her team, and clear scope for further development, Robertson’s Las Vegas performance firmly established her as a driver to watch in the seasons ahead.
