Here's the thing about a brilliant race start: when it works, it rewrites the entire afternoon. That is exactly what Alpine driver Nina Gademan managed in the F1 ACADEMY Feature Race in Austin, converting a third-place grid spot into a stunning victory.
Starting from the second row, Gademan didn't wait around. She seized control of the race right at the first corner, sweeping around the outside of Turn 1 to dispatch both Payton Westcott and newly crowned 2026 champion Alisha Palmowski in one ruthless move. Once clear of the pack, the Alpine machine simply checked out, putting clean air between herself and the chasing field.
Behind the leader, the race delivered plenty of chaos and shuffling. A collision between Palmowski and Alba Larsen forced both drivers into retirement from second and third place respectively. That misfortune opened the door for Westcott to secure a brilliant home-soil podium in P2, while Natalia Granada fought through to round out the top three, claiming her first podium appearance since Shanghai.
Further back, Williams driver Jade Jacquet faced race-long pressure from Emma Felbermayr but stood her ground to take fourth, marking her best finish of the season so far, with the Audi driver forced to settle for fifth. Lisa Billard and Rachel Robertson crossed the line in sixth and seventh. Meanwhile, Ella Lloyd put on a charge from 13th on the grid to finish eighth, Esmee Kosterman snatched ninth with a late-race double overtake on the final lap, and Megan Bruce grabbed the final point to cap off a double-points weekend for the TAG Heuer driver.
The victory vaults Gademan up to second in the drivers’ standings with just two races remaining. The series now packs its bags for the bright lights of Las Vegas, where the 2026 campaign will draw to a close with Round 6 running from November 19-21.
