PREVIEW: F1 Academy returns to Austin for Round 5
F1 Academy is back for Round 5, returning to Austin for the first time since 2023. The series returns this weekend, with the 2026 drivers racing at the Circuit of the Americas for the first time.
Round 3 took place in Silverstone in July. Emma Felbermayr took her second victory of the season in the Reverse Grid Race, while Palmowski returned to the top step with a Feature Race win.
Round 4 of the 2026 F1 Academy season saw the 2026 drivers head to the iconic Zandvoort Circuit for the fourth and final time, with Romanian driver Zoe Florescu joining as the wild card.
Alisha Palmowski, Payton Westcott, Alba Larsen, Nina Gademan, and Esmee Kosterman were the weekend's standout performers. Kosterman scored her first points of the season with a fourth-place finish in the Reverse Grid Race and a seventh-place finish in the Future Race. A special mention to Rachel Roberton, who finished in the points for the fourth consecutive race with a sixth- and seventh-place finish.
This weekend, keep an eye on Palmowski, who has the potential to win the Drivers' Standings after the Reverse Grid Race or Feature Race.
So let's have a look at the drivers, the race weekend format, and what to expect from Austin.
Zandvoort Recap
Alisha Palmowski, Payton Westcott, Alba Larsen, Nina Gademan and Esmee Kosterman were the weekend's standout performers. Kosterman scored her first points of the season with a fourth-place finish in the Reverse Grid Race and a seventh-place finish in the Future Race.
Read our complete round-up of the F1 Academy Round 4 in Zandvoort.
Who is on the grid this year?
Six teams are back on the grid: MP Motorsport, Hitech, Rodin Motorsports, PREMA Racing, Campos Racing, and ART Grand Prix.
Find out more about the ART Grand Prix and Hitech drivers here. Learn more about the MP Motorsport and Rodin Motorsport drivers here. Campos Racing and PREMA Racing drivers are listed here.
F1 Academy 2026 weekend format
The 2025 season introduced a change to the weekend format, which continues for 2026, with racing split into three days: Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. There can be up to two practice sessions, each lasting up to 40 minutes, that take place on Friday. A 30-minute qualifying session will take place on either Friday or Saturday, depending on the number of practice sessions allocated.
Saturday will host the Reverse Grid Race, and, following last season's reform of the Sporting Regulations, it will be a reverse-grid race.
The Reverse Grid Race means that the top eight drivers from qualifying will be reversed on the grid, while the drivers that finish between P9 and P18 will start from the position they qualify in.
In this race, only the first eight drivers will earn points and the driver who records the fastest lap and finishes in the top eight will score an extra point.
Reverse Grid Race points allocation:
P1 - 10 points
P2 - 8 points
P3 - 6 points
P4 - 5 points
P5 - 4 points
P6 - 3 points
P7 - 2 points
P8 - 1 point
The Feature Race (previously known as Race 2) remains unchanged from previous seasons, with drivers starting from their qualifying positions. The first 10 drivers to cross the chequered flag earn points on a sliding scale, from 25 points for the winner down to 1 point for the driver finishing in P10.
The driver who earns pole for Race 2 will earn two extra points. The driver who sets the fastest lap will earn an additional point if they finish the race within the top 10.
Feature Race points allocation:
P1 - 25 points
P2 - 18 points
P3 - 15 points
P4 - 12 points
P5 - 10 points
P6 - 8 points
P7 - 6 points
P8 - 4 points
P9 - 2 points
P10 - 1 point
Montreal and Austin will host a third race, also known as the Opening Race, to ensure the two cancelled races from Jeddah still take place. This will be the first race of the weekend, with the grid decided by the drivers’ second-fastest lap times.
Opening Race points allocation:
P1 - 25 points
P2 - 18 points
P3 - 15 points
P4 - 12 points
P5 - 10 points
P6 - 8 points
P7 - 6 points
P8 - 4 points
P9 - 2 points
P10 - 1 point
Two points will be awarded for pole position in the Feature Race, but not in the Opening Race or the Reverse Grid Race. A point will be awarded for the fastest lap of all three races, provided the driver finishes in the top eight in the Reverse Grid Race and in the top 10 in the Opening and Feature Races.
What's the schedule for the Austin race weekend?
Round 5 begins on Thursday, 22 October, with practice at 18:25 and qualifying at 22:30.
The Opening Race takes place on Friday, 23 October, at 23:50. The Reverse Grid Race takes place on Sunday at 00:00. The Feature Race takes place on Sunday, 24 October, at 18:00.
All times are in Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).
Who is the F1 Academy Austin wild card entry?
Swedish driver Alexia Danielsson will make her F1 Academy race weekend debut as Austin's Wild Card Driver. Danielsson will drive car number 45, sporting a TeamViewer race suit and livery.
Danielsson took part in the 2025 and 2026 F1 Academy Rookie Test, where the 17-year-old topped this year's afternoon session and finished P2 overall.
The Swedish driver is currently competing in the Formula 4 CEZ Championship and has finished in the points five times, with her best result a P6.
Everything you need to know about the Circuit of the Americas
2026 marks the second time F1 Academy will race at the Circuit of the Americas as part of the United States Formula 1 Grand Prix weekend.
The Circuit of the Americas is 5.513km, with 20 corners and is located in Austin, Texas. All three races cover 71.669km over 13 laps, and Jessica Edgar holds the fastest lap time in 2023 at 2:07.962.
2026 Season Standings After Round 4
Alisha Palmowski - 136 points
Emma Felbermayr - 88 points
Nina Gademan - 71 points
Alba Larsen - 50 points
Payton Westcott - 49 points
Megan Bruce - 49 points
Ella Lloyd - 47 points
Mathilda Paatz - 35 points
Natalia Granada - 35 points
Rafaela Ferreira - 27 points
Chiara Bättig (WCD) - 22 points
Rachel Robertson - 22 points
Lisa Billard - 15 points
Kaylee Countryman - 14 points
Ava Dobson - 8 points
Esmee Kosterman - 6 points
Ella Stevens - 4 points
Zoe Florescu (WCD)
Autumn Fisher
Jade Jacquet
Shi Wei (WCD)
Zoe Florescu
The F1 Academy qualifying session, Opening Race, Reverse Grid Race and Feature Race throughout the season can be streamed on F1 Academy's YouTube, X Channels, F1 TV and Sky Sports F1.
All images are credited to F1 Academy Limited.
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