F1 Academy – Race 1: Palmowski triumphs in Shanghai after Gademan’s twist of fate
Alisha Palmowski took her first F1 Academy victory in Shanghai, taking advantage of a technical problem that struck Nina Gademan on the penultimate lap.
Gademan had a very good start. Chloé Chambers went on the outside, the Sauber was sandwiched for a long time between the Red Bulls. Doriane Pin, for her part, tried to stay in Weug’s slipstream from the start.
The safety car made an appearance on the 2nd lap; the Chinese driver Shiwei, after quite a fast off-track excursion, got stuck on the grass and the curb with the rear wheels in the air. Fortunately, she will have the chance to make up for it in race 2.
Three laps later, a yellow flag appeared. Nobels in the first sector due to contact in the first corner with the barrier, he locked a wheel and couldn’t avoid car number 22, breaking its rear end.
Another yellow flag during lap 8: the Canadian Havrda was hit by Chong, tearing off a piece of the transmission and the rear axle.
All these incidents made the task more difficult for the drivers, as they had to warm up the tires each time.
There were only 3 laps left: everything seemed good for Gademan, who was widening the gap with Palmowski, but during the penultimate lap, the car lost power. Palmowski, in the lead, withstood the pressure from his teammate Chloe Chambers to secure a one-two finish for the team. Maya Weug completed the podium after a strong comeback.
Still in this penultimate lap, Larsen hits Felbermayr’s Sauber. Pin, narrowly avoiding the incident, slips between the 2 cars.
On the second half of the circuit, Chambers attacks her teammate, engaging in a battle until the last meters. Meanwhile, in sector 3, another yellow flag is waved: the Aston Martin and the Sauber are nose to nose. Hausmann’s late braking on the inside caught Felbermayr by surprise.
The race was chaotic and full of twists and turns, but Palmowski managed to stay focused and seize the opportunity to secure a memorable victory. Weug completed a hard-fought podium, while Doriane Pin finished fourth.
The appointment is set for tomorrow at 3:50 for the rematch. The race will start with a regular grid.
