Nina Gademan wins the F1 Academy Feature Race in Austin as Larsen and Palmowski collide
Payton Westcott and Natalia Granada complete the podium for PREMA, and the MP Motorsport driver moves up to second in the championship before Las Vegas
Nina Gademan has won the F1 Academy Feature Race in Austin. The Dutch MP Motorsport driver led Payton Westcott home by 1.250 seconds after 13 laps at the Circuit of the Americas, with Natalia Granada third, on a day when new champion Alisha Palmowski and Alba Larsen both retired after contact.
That is the provisional classification published by F1 Academy. RNT followed the race live.
Larsen and Palmowski out after contact
The race turned around lap 10, when Larsen tried to pass Palmowski and the two made contact. Both cars were out: the official classification lists Palmowski as retired after ten laps and Larsen after nine. Larsen had set the fastest lap of the race, a 2:08.387 on lap 3.
For Palmowski it changes nothing in the title. She sealed the 2026 crown on Saturday with second place in the Reverse Grid Race. For Larsen, who won that Saturday race, it ends a strong weekend without points from the finale in Austin.
Second win of the season for Gademan
Gademan won in Shanghai in the spring, and Austin is her second victory of 2026. Second in the Opening Race on Friday and now a win on Sunday: by our count she scored more points in Austin than any other driver, Palmowski included.
The PREMA pair Westcott and Granada completed the podium, with Jade Jacquet fourth for ART Grand Prix. Emma Felbermayr finished fifth. Alexia Danielsson, the Hitech wild card, withdrew before the race.
| Pos | Driver | Team | Time / gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nina Gademan | MP Motorsport | 29:28.429 |
| 2 | Payton Westcott | PREMA Racing | +1.250 |
| 3 | Natalia Granada | PREMA Racing | +1.963 |
| 4 | Jade Jacquet | ART Grand Prix | +2.657 |
| 5 | Emma Felbermayr | Rodin Motorsport | +2.991 |
| 6 | Lisa Billard | ART Grand Prix | +4.248 |
| 7 | Rachel Robertson | Hitech | +4.389 |
| 8 | Ella Lloyd | Rodin Motorsport | +5.001 |
| 9 | Esmee Kosterman | MP Motorsport | +5.096 |
| 10 | Megan Bruce | Campos Racing | +5.845 |
| DNF | Alisha Palmowski | Campos Racing | 10 laps |
| DNF | Alba Larsen | MP Motorsport | 9 laps |
Gademan moves up to second in the standings
With 26 points from the Feature Race, including the point for the fastest lap among the finishers, Gademan moves past Emma Felbermayr into second place in the official standings: Palmowski 172, Gademan 119, Felbermayr 113. The final round is in Las Vegas on 19 to 21 November. All points per round are in our F1 Academy standings 2026.
Our read
Gademan needed this. All season she has been close, with podiums in Silverstone, Zandvoort and on Friday in Austin, but only one win. Holding off two PREMA cars for the full distance shows she can close out a race. Second in the championship would be a fair reward for a consistent year.
New to the series? Read F1 Academy explained, and see how Friday went in our Opening Race report.
Source: F1 Academy, provisional classification Feature Race, Austin, 25 October 2026.
Who takes second in the F1 Academy championship in Las Vegas, Gademan or Felbermayr? Tell us in the comments.
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