The F1 Academy weekend in Canada came to a dramatic conclusion with a rain-soaked Feature Race that delivered overtakes, mistakes, changing momentum and a standout performance from Ferrari Driver Academy talent Alba Larsen.
While championship leader Alisha Palmowski ultimately secured victory after surviving late technical concerns, one of the most eye-catching drives of the race came from Alba Larsen, whose final result did not fully reflect the speed she showed throughout the wet-weather contest.
Over 17 laps in extremely demanding conditions, the young Ferrari-backed driver emerged as one of the fastest competitors on track, producing aggressive overtakes, recovering from repeated setbacks, and at one stage looking capable of fighting significantly higher than her eventual finishing position.
Alba Larsen delivers one of the strongest drives of the race
Although the official classification shows Alba Larsen in sixth position, the result only tells part of the story.
The Ferrari Driver Academy member was one of the most competitive drivers in the field, demonstrating excellent confidence in difficult low-grip conditions. Her race was shaped by several intense wheel-to-wheel battles, particularly during a prolonged fight with Nina Gademan and the tightly packed midfield group that also included Rafaela Ferreira and Ella Lloyd.
At one point, Alba Larsen was forced to surrender a position after being judged to have gained an advantage off-track, costing her valuable momentum in an already fiercely contested race. Even more frustratingly, she reportedly lost significant time after being pushed wide on two separate occasions, forcing her into recovery mode despite having the pace to attack further up the order.
Yet each time, Alba Larsen responded impressively.
She fought back with a series of bold overtakes and relentless pace, eventually setting what initially stood as the fastest lap of the race with a superb 1:48.362 — a clear demonstration of the raw speed she was extracting from the car despite the difficult circumstances. For long stretches, Alba Larsen looked like arguably the fastest driver on circuit.
Palmowski controls the race while chaos unfolds behind
At the front, championship leader Alisha Palmowski managed to overcome a less-than-perfect launch to retain control of the race. Behind her, Peyton Westcott and Megan Bruce engaged in a fierce battle for the remaining podium positions as the slippery conditions continued to punish even small mistakes.
Ella Lloyd delivered an impressive early charge after starting deep in the field, climbing from 16th to 10th within the opening two laps, while rookie Jade Jaquet also produced an encouraging performance to finish inside the points. As the race developed, Palmowski steadily built her advantage, opening a gap that approached five seconds while maintaining consistent pace at the front.
Further back, the midfield battle became one of the defining themes of the race, with positions constantly changing as drivers searched for grip and attempted ambitious overtakes in treacherous conditions.
Late drama transforms the podium fight
The closing laps delivered another major twist. Emma Felbermayr capitalised on an error from Peyton Westcott to move into podium contention before finding exceptional late pace. The Audi-backed driver then produced an even faster benchmark lap of 1:48.000, closing rapidly on Megan Bruce ahead.
On the final lap, Felbermayr completed the move for second place, reshuffling the podium in the dying moments of the race.
Even then, the drama was not over. Alisha Palmowski reportedly encountered engine concerns late in the event, but managed to nurse the car to the chequered flag and secure a crucial victory in the championship battle.
Ferrari Driver Academy has reasons to be encouraged
From a Ferrari perspective, the result may not have delivered a podium, but Alba Larsen’s performance offered plenty of encouragement. Wet-weather races often reveal racecraft, adaptability and mental resilience more clearly than conventional dry contests, and in all three areas the Ferrari junior showed genuine promise.
The final P6 finish may look modest on paper, but the pace, overtaking intent and recovery drives suggested far greater potential. If anything, the Canadian Feature Race may be remembered less for the final classification and more as another clear signal that Ferrari Driver Academy has an exciting young talent continuing to develop.
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