She describes herself as “just a normal girl from Manchester.” Her results tell a very different story.
Alisha Palmowski is 19 years old, drives for Campos Racing under the Red Bull Racing programme. She is currently leading the 2026 F1 ACADEMY championship by 25 points.
Palmowski has set the two largest winning margins in the series’ history – both in the same weekend. This is a driver worth knowing.
From a Go-Kart She’d Never Heard of
Palmowski’s path into motorsports began almost by accident. In 2015, her grandparents took her indoor karting during a school holiday – she didn’t even know what a go-kart was. Within minutes, something clicked.
She began competing in local karting championships before graduating to the Daniel Ricciardo Series, where she finished runner-up in the UK standings in 2020 and 2021.
The trajectory was steep and consistent: not a flash of talent, but a sustained, upward line.
The real breakthrough came in 2022, when she won the Ginetta Junior Scholarship – one of the most prestigious prizes in UK junior motorsport. Only one other woman had ever claimed it: Jamie Chadwick.
“Winning the scholarship is my career highlight and it always will be,” Alisha Palmowski said, “because without winning the scholarship, I wouldn’t be in single seaters now.”
Building the Foundation for Alisha Palmowski
Palmowski spent 2022 and 2023 in the Ginetta Junior Championship, racking up 10 podiums across her second season. Then came 2024 and a step up to GB4 – her single-seater debut.
She didn’t need to ease in. Alisha Palmowski won on debut, by 3.6 seconds and ended the year as vice champion with three wins, two pole positions and 11 podiums – the most in the field.
The British Racing Drivers’ Club named her a Rising Star. Red Bull Racing had already been watching.
Her wildcard appearance in the 2024 F1A round at Qatar confirmed what the data was suggesting: Palmowski qualified fourth and finished fifth. A full-time seat followed for 2025.
Her rookie F1A season was defined by learning – a new car, new circuits and a new competitive environment. She adapted steadily, finishing fifth in the championship with one win and five podiums.
Alisha Palmowski also earned the Rookie of the Year honours. The foundations were in place.
2026: The Season of Control
Coming into 2026, Palmowski’s mindset shifted. “There were a lot less unknowns,” she explained ahead of the season. “I felt a lot more prepared, calmer and more confident. Winning the championship is a much more realistic, achievable goal.”
She opened the year with a lights-to-flag victory at Shanghai, then arrived in Montreal for Round 2 and took over completely. She topped every practice and qualifying session, securing double pole for the Opening Race and Feature Race.
In the Opening Race – a dry affair – she led from start to finish, winning by 10.1 seconds. The largest margin in F1A history.
Pre-race showered left the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve slippery and cold ahead of the Feature Race. Alisha Palmowski did not flinch. She led every lap, stretched her advantage relentlessly while rivals just tried to stay on the road.
She crossed the line 10.9 seconds clear – immediately breaking the record she’d set 24 hours earlier.
What’s Next: Silverstone
F1A heads to Silverstone from July 3-5, making its debut at the British Grand Prix. For Palmowski, it’s a home race in the fullest sense.
“I drove the full [Grand Prix] circuit for the first time in 2022,” she said. “Seeing all these corners, all these moments I’d seen from Formula One just came flashing back. Not many people get that chance.”
She already topped the timing sheets at Silverstone during in-season testing. Palmowski heads to the British Grand Prix weekend with a 25-point championship lead and form that suggests the gap could get wider.
The normal girl from Manchester is leading F1A. She’s only just getting started.
Feature Image: F1 ACADEMY
Edited by Alexandra.
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