Alisha Palmowski takes pole in Zandvoort in F1 Academy Qualifying

Credit: F1 Academy via X

After a long break F1 Academy is back in action in the Netherlands, kickstarting the official weekend with the Qualifying. After the first Free Practice session, hometown hero and 2025 race winner Nina Gademan topped the board to showcase her dominance once again at the Circuit Zandvoort.

However, championship leader Alisha Palmowski who struggled in Free Practice coming in 10^th, made an impressive response in Qualifying taking another pole position for the season in her quest for the championship title.

Here is how Saturday morning unfolded in the Qualifying session at Zandvoort.

How it happened

Similar to yesterday’s Free Practice, Qualifying began in the wet with rain looking to continue throughout the session. Qualifying, which was scheduled to last 30 minutes began with 15 out of 18 drivers on track as light rain started falling.

Alba Larsen set the pace producing a benchmark of 1:48.188, proving herself as a driver comfortable at Zandvoort following a podium in British F4 earlier this year.

Six tenths down and on her second lap, Palmowski found the gravel but recovered herself to escape unscathed. The Red Bull-backed driver responded to her earlier mistake topping the table with a 1:48.038, one tenth quicker than Larsen.

After retreating to the pits to change her tyre pressure, Ella Lloyd had an impressive first lap with a purple middle sector to set the third fastest lap, just under a tenth down from Palmowski.

With just under 13 minutes to go, Granada who an impressive start with two purple sectors and a possibility of clinching top spot, was unable to complete her lap as the first red flag was called.

With just over 10 minutes left to the session the red flag was called for French driver Lisa Billard who found the gravel, coming to a complete stop. Whilst her and her Gatorade livery avoided collision with the barrier, her session was over as she sat in ninth.

As the track dried further the grid slowly shifted tyres to slicks as the drivers began the final battle to take top spot. Bravely staying out on wets, Lloyd once again began another strong flying lap setting a 1:45.181 benchmark.

Wildcard Zoe Florescu who showed encouraging signs in Free Practice finishing the Friday session in 11^th, showcased a striking lap taking second, only 1.5 seconds behind provisional pole. Behind Florescu was Aston Martin-backed Mathilda Paatz sitting 2.1 seconds behind Lloyd.

With 5 minutes to go, Rafaela Ferreira made a small mistake causing her to hit the barrier and suffer wing and tyre damage to her car. She was unharmed but her session came to an unfortunate premature stop.

Larsen was back to provisional pole setting a 1:41.775 as traffic began to ramp up in the final seconds. Behind her, Palmowski set the second-fastest lap just under a minute slower from Larsen, followed by responses from Gademan and Emma Felbermayr who climbed up the table into the top 5 but were unable to cement their positions.

In the final seconds Palmowski made her final push to once again take pole position setting an electrifying time of 1:40.911.

She was followed by Larsen, Natalia Granada, Felbermayr, Gademan, Rachael Robertson, Florescu, Megan Bruce, Payton Westcott and Jade Jaquet to round out the top 10.

Looking Ahead

Before she can attempt to take another win in the Feature Race, it is all to race for for Bruce who finished in eighth and therefore will take pole position in the Reverse Grid Race later today.

The Reverse Grid Race will begin at 14:35PM CEST as the 2026 championship season continues.