The F1 Academy started the 2026 season last weekend with the Chinese GP. In the first double-header of the calendar, Nina Gademan and Emma Felbermayr were the names who secured victories at the Shanghai circuit.
Read more F1: Wolff on Antonelli: “As a youngster, he just needs to mature”
The Chinese circuit hosted the first two races of the year, opening the women’s category calendar for the second year. On Saturday, qualifying defined the starting order for the races, with Alisha Palmowski taking pole position for the round – on the inverted grid for race 1, it was the Alpine competitor who lined up in the position of honor on the grid.
In the first race of the weekend, as soon as the lights went out, Gademan maintained first place, with Natalia Granada, a 2026 rookie, in second and Rafa Ferreira taking advantage of a mistake by Lisa Billard to jump into third position. Behind, Mathilda Paatz and Shi Wei collided.
As the race unfolded, Nina increased her lead at the front of the pack. On the seventh lap, a safety car was required due to contact between Emma Felbermayr and Alba Larsen, eliminating the gap from the leader to Natalia, which was already at 1s5. When the race restarted, the Alpine representative once again pulled away at the front, with Granada and Ferreira in third place, while Emma moved up and was already appearing in fourth.
At the checkered flag, Gademan secured the victory 0s6 ahead of Natalia. Felbermayr made an overtake on the last lap on Rafaela, securing the final step of the podium, with Alisha Palmowski completing Saturday’s top-5.
Read more F1: Vasseur praises respectful battle between Hamilton and Leclerc: «They are professionals»
On Sunday, it was Alisha who started from the position of honor on the grid. When the lights went out in China, Alba jumped into first place and immediately began to open up a lead, while Emma also passed Palmowski, who dropped to third. Meanwhile, further back, Natalia ended up touching Ferreira, needing to go to the pits to change her front wing.
While Larsen remained comfortable in first position, Felbermayr and Palmowski began an exciting battle, with the Audi driver managing to stay in second. Shortly after, on lap 6, a safety car was required after an incident between Esmkee Kosterman and Jade Jacquet, with the Frenchwoman hitting the back of her opponent and causing a double retirement.
When the race was restarted, Alba made a mistake, went into the gravel trap and fell to the bottom of the top-10, with Emma taking first position and Palmowski following closely. However, it was Felbermayr who crossed the finish line in first place, with Palmowski and Payton Westcott completing the day’s podium. Rafa Ferreira was sixth.
Read more F1: Current rules are questioned again after Verstappen’s criticism
