Matilda Paatz took a surprise victory in the F1 Academy Reverse Grid race around Montreal, with Alba Larsen and Kaylee Countryman finishing alongside on the podium.
For the second of three races on the F1 Academy weekend, the main aspect was the reverse grid, which saw Countryman and Rafaela Ferreira line up on the front row. Both drivers were looking to take the lead into the first turn.
Starting on pole for the Reverse Grid race, Countryman had a slow start off the line, being caught up immediately by Ferreira, who had a far stronger start.
Collision for Felbermayr
Emma Felbermayr was fighting for positions in the opening lap as she was clipped and sent spinning. The Rodin plummeting through the order.
Despite Ferreira’s strong start, the Campos driver was under investigation for a false start, calling her result into question.
Just behind Felbermayr’s incident, it was a disaster for Rachel Robertson and Ava Dobson. Robertson damaged her rear suspension at the start-finish line, while Dobson, caught in the pack fighting for position early on, lost control and hit the tight walls.
Both cars were out of the race, and the Safety Car was deployed on Lap 2 to clear them.
Racing went green again on Lap 6, Ferreira leading the pack. She went just ahead of the chicane, taking Countryman by surprise and holding on to her position confidently.
Alisha Palmowski got caught up in an incident on Lap 7, the Campos driver hitting the brakes too late into Turn 10. Palmowski clipped the rear of the car in front, damaging her front wing and causing her to run wide.
Jade Jacquet, in 11th, was noted for speeding in the pit lane, and the French driver received a penalty for the infraction.
On Lap 9, Palmowski was making moves, diving down the inside of Megan Bruce despite the damage to her front wing.
However, on Lap 13, Bruce and Palmowski made contact in their fight for fifth, sending the Campos’ car spinning as Bruce struck her nose on the inside of Palmowski. Nina Gademan was a passenger in the accident that sent her car into the wall.
Paatz dove down the inside of Countryman, taking second with the move. Close behind, Alba Larsen was on the gearbox of Payton Westcott, overtaking the Prema car on Lap 13.
A final dash for the lead
Running low on time, the final stretch of the race was timed rather than by laps, giving the drivers a final dash to the line and a chance to fight for the lead.
On the final lap, Ferreira recieved a five-second penalty on the final lap due to her false start. The penalty would send her right through the order and promote Paatz into the lead.
Larsen made a final dive down the inside of Countryman into the final corner. Coming onto the start-finish straight in third. However, that became second when Ferreira received her penalty.
Coutnryman settled for fourth with Natalia Granada in fifth. Lisa Billard crossed the line in sixth with Ella Lloyd down in seventh. Felbermayr took the final points position in eighth.
The F1 Academy grid has a Feature Race on Sunday. Where the most points are up for grabs, giving the grid another chance at victory.
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