Nina Gademan earns second F1 ACADEMY win of the season with controlled Austin Feature Race drive

By Vancouver Television Sports Desk

Nina Gademan took her second win of the 2026 F1 ACADEMY season in the Feature Race in Austin, turning a third-place start into a decisive drive ahead of key rivals. The result lifts the Alpine driver to second in the drivers’ standings with two races still to be run, as the championship enters its final stretch.

From the opening sequence, Gademan moved into contention at Turn 1. She overtook both Payton Westcott and newly crowned 2026 F1 ACADEMY champion Alisha Palmowski around the outside of the corner, seizing control early and establishing clean air ahead of the pack. With that advantage, she maintained momentum through the race’s key moments, including a restart after a Safety Car period.

The race’s turning point came when a collision involving Palmowski and Alba Larsen forced both drivers to retire from second and third place. With those podium positions removed, Westcott benefited to secure a home-soil finish of P2, while Natalia Granada took third place to record her first podium since Shanghai.

Behind the leaders, the battle for position remained intense. Jade Jacquet held off pressure from Emma Felbermayr for much of the Feature Race, ultimately bringing her Williams into fourth for what is described as her best finish of the season so far. Felbermayr settled for fifth, rounding out the top five positions.

Points extended deep into the field. Lisa Billard and Rachel Robertson completed the race in sixth and seventh respectively. Ella Lloyd charged from 13th to eighth to take valuable points, while Esmee Kosterman climbed to ninth after overtaking two cars on the final lap. Megan Bruce took the final point, completing what the series describes as a double-points-scoring weekend for TAG Heuer’s driver.

With the Austin Feature Race concluded, F1 ACADEMY now heads to Las Vegas for the 2026 season’s late-season finale. Round 6 is scheduled for November 19–21, with the championship fight set to continue as only two races remain after the weekend’s results.