Palmowski prepares for final showdown in Vegas

Glossop motorsport star Alisha Palmowski is preparing for her final test of this year’s F1 Academy season.

The 19-year-old will take to the bustling streets of Las Vegas this weekend for the seventh and final round of her debut campaign.

Palmowski will be hoping to turn around her fortunes across the pond, following a disappointing weekend in Singapore last time out, where she came home empty handed.

After colliding with a wall in qualifying, the Red Bull Racing driver was forced to start Race 1 in P18.

Despite making up good ground, racing up nine places in just six laps, she was forced to retire after yet another collision with the advertising hoardings in lap seven.

Race 2 saw the Simmondley star move up three places, eventually finishing in 15th after a brief stint in 10th, concluding her first pointless round of the year.

Regardless of her blip in Marina Bay, Palmowski has made great strides this season, and shown she is more than capable of holding her own at the top level.

“The best way to describe my season so far would be like a rollercoaster - we’ve had lots of highs, lows, good luck, bad luck and everything in-between,” the former St Phillip Howard student told the Chronicle.

“Overall, I have made huge progress and have developed as both a driver and as a person throughout the whole year which ultimately was the main aim for this season.” 

“It’s really important for me to try and end the year on a high in Las Vegas and bounce back from the disappointment in Singapore.

“We always have super strong pace and huge potential so I’ve been working as hard as possible over the last month to try and get a result that reflects the amount of progress we’ve made.” 

As well as ending 2025 on a high, Palmowski still has her eyes on the prize of Top Rookie, awarded to the best performing newcomer.

The teenage driver currently sits fifth in the overall standings, and will battle it out with fellow Brit Ella Lloyd for the award, whom she trails by 28 points ahead of the final showdown.

“It would mean a lot to achieve top rookie this season but equally I am just treating this weekend as a normal one and will approach it with the same mindset.

“I know what we’re capable of achieving so fingers crossed we can put it together.

“Racing down the Las Vegas strip will also be a dream come true so I’ll try to enjoy every second!”