News Summary
- Alisha Palmowski arrives in Las Vegas as the 2026 F1 Academy champion with 172 points.
- Nina Gademan holds second place with 119 points, just six ahead of Emma Felbermayr.
- The season concludes with a reverse-grid race and a feature race at the Las Vegas Strip Circuit, with 39 points still available.
The 2026 F1 Academy championship has already been decided, but the battle for second place remains open heading into the Las Vegas season finale, with Nina Gademan leading Emma Felbermayr by just six points. The two drivers will compete for the runner-up position across the final weekend on November 19–21, while Alisha Palmowski arrives in Nevada as the newly crowned champion.
Gademan has 119 points after five rounds, compared with Felbermayr’s 113. With two races remaining and points also available for pole position and fastest laps, the gap is small enough to be overturned in a single race.
Las Vegas will host the sixth and final round of the season, bringing the championship back to the United States after its October visit to Austin.
F1 Academy standings before Las Vegas
The official championship classification confirms that Palmowski has an unassailable advantage, while the contest immediately behind her remains close.
| Pos. | Driver | Team | Points | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A. PALMOWSKI | Campos Racing | 172 | — |
| 2 | N. GADEMAN | MP Motorsport | 119 | -53 |
| 3 | E. FELBERMAYR | Rodin Motorsport | 113 | -59 |
| 4 | A. LARSEN | MP Motorsport | 76 | -96 |
| 5 | P. WESTCOTT | PREMA Racing | 76 | -96 |
| 6 | N. GRANADA | PREMA Racing | 58 | -114 |
| 7 | M. BRUCE | Campos Racing | 52 | -120 |
| 8 | E. LLOYD | Rodin Motorsport | 52 | -120 |
Palmowski secured the championship at Austin, where her points advantage became mathematically insurmountable. Her title-winning campaign has included victories in Shanghai, Montreal, Silverstone, Zandvoort and Austin.
Gademan strengthened her position by winning the Austin feature race, her second victory of the season. The result moved her to 119 points and gave her a six-point advantage over Felbermayr, who also scored in Texas.
The Austrian remains firmly in contention for second place, having won races earlier in the season and demonstrated consistent front-running pace.
How Gademan and Felbermayr can finish second
The Las Vegas weekend features two races with different points allocations.
| Session | Winner’s points |
|---|---|
| Reverse-grid race | 10 |
| Feature race | 25 |
| Feature-race pole position | 2 |
| Fastest laps | Up to 2 combined |
| Maximum available | 39 |
Felbermayr needs to gain at least seven points on Gademan across the weekend to finish ahead outright.
If the two drivers end the season level on points, the final classification will depend on the championship’s countback rules, beginning with race victories.
Gademan currently has two wins, while Felbermayr has also won twice. That means the final results could influence not only their points totals but also the tiebreak.
The reverse-grid format adds uncertainty because the leading eight qualifiers start the opening race in reversed order. A strong qualifying result therefore does not guarantee an advantageous starting position for both races.
The feature race awards considerably more points, making Saturday’s final contest particularly important.
Palmowski already crowned champion after dominant season
Palmowski’s championship was secured before the final round following an exceptional campaign with Campos Racing.
The British driver has scored 172 points, establishing a 53-point lead over Gademan. With only 39 points remaining, neither of her closest rivals can catch her.
Her success has also helped Campos establish a strong advantage in the teams’ championship.
The Spanish outfit leads with 251 points, ahead of MP Motorsport on 207 and Rodin Motorsport on 171.
Palmowski’s title follows the championship victories of Marta García in 2023, Abbi Pulling in 2024 and Doriane Pin in 2025.
The 2026 champion is now preparing for the next stage of her single-seater career, with a fully funded Formula Regional seat announced for 2027.
When is the F1 Academy Las Vegas finale?
The final round takes place at the 6.201-kilometre Las Vegas Strip Circuit, alongside the Formula 1 Grand Prix weekend.
| Session | Local date |
|---|---|
| Free practice | Thursday, November 19 |
| Qualifying | Thursday, November 19 |
| Reverse-grid race | Friday, November 20 |
| Feature race | Saturday, November 21 |
The championship’s official event page has confirmed the session days, but exact start times remain listed as to be confirmed. Fans should check the final timetable before planning their viewing.
Las Vegas previously hosted F1 Academy in 2025, and the category returns with the championship title already settled but important positions still at stake.
For Gademan and Felbermayr, the final two races will determine who finishes immediately behind Palmowski in the 2026 standings.
GRANDE PRÊMIO is following the 2026 Formula 1 weekend in Las Vegas and the international junior single-seater championships.