F1 Academy title charge resumes at Zandvoort
The summer break has come to an end and competitive action resumes in F1 Academy at Zandvoort, venue for the fourth round of the season. With six rounds on the calendar, the Dutch event also marks the beginning of the second and decisive half of the campaign and Campos Racing’s objective will be to continue along the same successful path it has followed in the opening months of the season.
Indeed, the Alzira-based outfit leads both the drivers’ and teams’ standings. Three cars will take to the track with Alisha Palmowski, Megan Bruce and Rafaela Ferreira behind the wheel, all three targeting podium finishes. This will also be the final event to be held on European soil, as the series will then cross the Atlantic for the final stage of the season and the title deciders.
Palmowski has enjoyed a truly outstanding season so far. The British driver leads the drivers’ standings with 108 points and has established herself as one of the fastest and most consistent competitors on the F1 Academy grid, as demonstrated by her 30-point advantage over the second-placed driver. Palmowski, representing the Red Bull Racing Academy Programme, has been the dominant force in qualifying, securing no fewer than three pole positions. In the races, the Campos Racing driver has taken two victories in Montreal and Silverstone, while also finishing second in Shanghai and setting three fastest laps.
Bruce has also been one of the leading protagonists so far. The British driver, at the wheel of her TAG Heuer Tatuus, sits fourth in the overall standings with 39 points, having scored in five of the seven races held to date. Her strongest weekend came at Canada’s Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, where she claimed two podium finishes with second and third-place results.
Ferreira arrived at Silverstone having scored points in every single race before the British round, although the Brazilian member of the Visa Cash App RB Academy did not enjoy the same fortunes in Great Britain. Eighth in the championship standings with 27 points, Ferreira will be aiming to deliver her best form during the second half of the season.
Zandvoort is one of the traditional venues on the F1 Academy calendar, having featured in the series since its inaugural season. Opened in 1948, it is therefore one of the longest-standing circuits on the calendar. The venue hosted the Formula 1 Dutch Grand Prix from 1950 to 1985 and has done so continuously again since 2021. In its current configuration, the circuit is 4.259 kilometres long and features fourteen corners. Iconic turns such as Tarzanbocht are combined with more recent features such as the heavily banked Hugenholtzbocht, which features a 19% gradient. This is not the only unusual feature at Zandvoort, with the Hans Ernst Bocht also featuring a significant 18% banking, making the Dutch venue one of the most distinctive circuits in Europe.
Free practice will get underway on Friday at 14:00, while qualifying will begin at 9:20 on Saturday. The opening race, featuring a reverse grid, will then take place on Saturday at 14:35. The second and main race is scheduled for Sunday at 10:40. All times are CET zone.
Adrián Campos (Team Principal of Campos Racing): “We arrive in Zandvoort after a very positive first half of the season and we are really looking forward to getting back on track. We are leading both the drivers’ and teams’ championships, but we know there is still a lot of work ahead and that we must remain fully focused. Our goal is to fight for podiums again with all three cars and continue scoring important points in both championships. Alisha, Megan and Rafaela have all shown that they have the speed and ability to run at the front and I am sure they will give everything once again to achieve strong results at Zandvoort. We have great confidence in them and in the whole team.”
