F1 Academy qualifying in rainy Florida has wrapped up in Miami. Taking advantage of the reverse grid, Emma Felbermayr will once again start from pole position for Race 1, while home driver Chloe Chambers will start from the front in Sunday’s race.
The second day of motorsport action in Florida began with F1 Academy qualifying. Yesterday’s two free practice sessions ended with Doriane Pin topping FP1 and Maya Weug leading the second session. Today, it was Chloe Chambers — backed by the Red Bull Ford Academy — who once again set the fastest time, followed by Alisha Palmowski and Doriane Pin, the latter just +0.071 behind the Campos Racing Brit.
Just behind them came Ella Lloyd in McLaren livery, ahead of Lia Block, Aurelia Nobels, Rafaela Ferreira, and Emma Felbermayr, rounding out the drivers whose positions will be reversed for Race 1. This means the Austrian driver supported by Sauber will start from pole this evening, hoping for redemption after the missed opportunity in Race 1 at Jeddah. Plot twist for Maya Weug, who will start from 10th for both races, tasked with fighting her way forward to defend her championship lead — now under threat from both the French Silver Arrows driver and the American.
Wildcard Ava Dobson will serve a three-place grid penalty for both races in Florida after being found at fault for a collision with Lia Block during FP2 yesterday.
F1 Academy Qualifying Recap in Miami
Under a grey sky filled with heavy rain clouds, the all-female championship qualifying took place at the Miami International Autodrome. Drivers had 30 minutes to secure pole position for the two races scheduled in this third round of the season. Due to the rain starting to fall, F1 Academy drivers had to push immediately to get a strong lap in for the weekend’s races.
The first to set a benchmark was home driver Chloe Chambers with a 2:00.458, followed by Alisha Palmowski (+0.018) and Doriane Pin (+0.071). These times were still slower than yesterday’s session-topping lap by Maya Weug (1:58.545). Just ten minutes in, all drivers headed to the pits to switch to wet tires in hopes of improving their times, but none succeeded. Chambers thus secured her second consecutive pole position of the season.
All eyes now turn to the first F1 Academy race in Miami, scheduled for 8:50 PM Italian time tonight — weather permitting on the East Coast.
Photo: F1 Academy.