Alisha Palmowski and Campos Racing Aim to Strengthen Their F1 Academy Title Bid in Austin

Almost two months after F1 Academy last roared into action at Zandvoort in late August, the all-female series returns to the track in the United States. The country will host the final two rounds of the season, with Austin up next before Las Vegas brings the campaign to a close next month.

But first, all eyes are on the Texan circuit. Campos Racing and Alisha Palmowski arrive at the Circuit of The Americas leading their respective championships, with the aim of strengthening their positions further and heading into the final round in the strongest possible position to fight for both titles. Although the task will be far from straightforward, this weekend’s results could go a long way towards deciding both championships. Megan Bruce and Rafaela Ferreira will also have an important role to play in the battle.

Campos Racing currently sits at the top of the Teams’ Championship with 212 points, holding a 73-point advantage over its nearest rival.

Palmowski’s lead in the Drivers’ Championship is equally impressive. The British driver, whose Tatuus car carries the colours of the Red Bull Racing Academy Programme, has amassed 136 points and holds a commanding 48-point advantage over second-placed Emma Felbermayr. Palmowski opened the season with a second-place finish in Shanghai, where she also secured pole position and the fastest lap. Since then, she has claimed at least one victory at every subsequent round.

The Campos Racing driver secured a double victory in Montreal, where she also took both pole positions and recorded a fastest lap. She went on to win the feature race at Silverstone, also setting the fastest lap, before achieving a Grand Chelem at Zandvoort by claiming pole position, leading the race from start to finish, setting the fastest lap and taking victory. The goal will be to maintain this momentum at COTA. Can her rivals stop her winning streak?

Bruce is also enjoying an impressive season. The British driver, whose Tatuus car sports TAG Heuer colours, sits sixth in the standings with 47 points. The battle in that part of the championship remains extremely close, with four drivers separated by just three points. Bruce secured her first podium in the series at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve, finishing second in the opening race of the weekend. She returned to the podium in the third and final race in Canada, this time finishing third. She has also scored points in five other races.

Ferreira, meanwhile, will be aiming to claim her first podium of the season. The Visa Cash App RB driver has recorded two fourth-place finishes, in China and Canada, as her best results of 2026. The Brazilian has scored points on three other occasions and, following challenging weekends in Great Britain and the Netherlands, will be looking to make the most of the championship’s arrival in the Americas to return to form and fight for the top positions.

The Circuit of The Americas is one of the most modern motorsport venues in the United States. Construction began in 2010 and was completed in 2012. Since then, with the sole exception of 2020 due to restrictions arising from the COVID-19 pandemic, it has hosted the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix. The Texan venue also welcomes other major international championships, including the FIA World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC), NASCAR and MotoGP.

The circuit measures 5.513 kilometres and features 20 corners, with the track running in an anti-clockwise direction. The first sector is characterised by fast corners and changes of direction that place greater demands on the front tyres. By contrast, the third and final sector is particularly demanding on the rear tyres due to the acceleration required on corner exits. Tyre degradation could also increase as a result of the expected temperatures, which could approach 30°C over the course of the weekend.

With the time difference between Europe and the United States, free practice is scheduled for Thursday at 19:25 local Spanish time. Qualifying will follow at 23:30, close to midnight. Unlike the previous round, the weekend will feature three races. The first, known as the Opening Race, is scheduled for Saturday at 00:50, while the second, featuring a reverse-grid format, will take place in the early hours of Sunday from 01:00. The weekend will conclude with the Feature Race on Sunday at 19:00. All times are in mainland European time.

Adrián Campos (Team Principal of Campos Racing): “We head to Austin in a very strong position in both championships, but we know there is still work to do and that we cannot take anything for granted. Alisha is having a fantastic season, demonstrating outstanding speed and remarkable consistency, and the team is working very well to give her the tools she needs to keep fighting for victories. Megan is also making progress and delivering important results, while Rafaela has the potential to take another step forward and challenge for a podium. Our goal is to maintain the level we have shown so far, continue scoring points with all three drivers and make the most of this first opportunity in the United States before heading into the final round in Las Vegas.”