The opening day of Susie Wolff’s championship finale on the Strip comes to an end: here’s how F1 Academy qualifying unfolded in Las Vegas.
Following the first and only free practice session—where Doriane Pin set the pace with a 2:07.967, two tenths faster than the Ferrari driver behind her—it was time to get serious in Las Vegas. Qualifying determined the grid for both races of the F1 Academy’s final weekend, with the top eight positions reversed for Race 1.
How F1 Academy qualifying unfolded in Las Vegas
At dawn in Italy this Friday in mid-November, the action began for the final F1 Academy round on the Strip, with a slight two-minute delay from the scheduled start. It was the moment the weekend truly kicked into gear, with drivers launching their bid for pole position in the last event of the season. A key question mark—just as in Formula 1—was the threat of rain, which for now seemed to be avoided.
After the first ten minutes, Maya Weug was the first to set the benchmark with a 2:08.594, followed by her rival Pin, +0.356 behind the Dutch driver. The Frenchwoman, supported by Mercedes, wasted no time responding, clocking a 2:08.174—four tenths faster than the Ferrari-backed Weug.
Eyes were also on Chloe Chambers, who posted a 2:07.825 with 15 minutes remaining, followed by Doriane Pin, Tina Hausmann, Rafaela Ferreira—whose name is now confirmed also for 2026—and Maya Weug, who had slipped to fifth. The Red Bull Ford junior then climbed back up to second, just +0.154 behind the French title contender. It became a head-to-head duel, with the American temporarily taking the upper hand by lowering the mark to 2:07.150, while Weug returned to the track with ten minutes left in an attempt to recover from sixth place.
Thanks to excellent teamwork between Maya Weug and Alba Larsen, the Dutch driver fought her way back to second, just +0.044 behind Chloe Chambers, who held provisional pole with three minutes to go. Completing the top positions were Alisha Palmowski followed by Doriane Pin. Near the end, news broke of an investigation into an impeding incident involving Ella Lloyd and Alba Larsen.
The session ended with Chloe Chambers securing her fourth pole of the season in Las Vegas, followed by Alisha Palmowski—recently renewed—and Alba Larsen completing the top three. It was not the qualifying session the two title contenders had hoped for: they ended the final session of the season in fourth and sixth place, with Doriane Pin ahead of Maya Weug. Starting from pole for Race 1, however, will be Nina Gademan. All focus now shifts to the next F1 Academy session in Las Vegas, scheduled for tonight at 03:15, kicking off the decisive final rush of the season.
Photo: F1 Academy.
