REVERSE GRID RACE: Paatz snatches maiden victory in Montreal after last-lap drama

It was a dramatic ending for Mathilda Paatz as the Aston Martin driver claimed both her first and the team’s maiden F1 ACADEMY victory in the Reverse Grid Race in Montreal.

Rafaela Ferreira looked on course for the win, seizing the lead off the line and controlling two Safety Car restarts. However, the Racing Bulls driver was handed a five-second time penalty for a false start on the final lap, demoting her to 10th and promoting Paatz to the top step.

Alba Larsen made a late move to jump ahead of Kaylee Countryman, with both the Ferrari and Haas drivers securing their first pieces of silverware in the series in second and third respectively.

Ferreira got the better of polesitter Countryman off the line, but the Brazilian was soon under investigation for a false start. Emma Felbermayr immediately put the pressure on Larsen for fourth, attempting to swoop around the outside at Turn 8.

However, the Ferrari driver bounced over the kerb and tagged Felbermayr, sending the Audi driver spinning, although she was able to rejoin at the back of the field. At the same corner, Ava Dobson was forced to retire after contact from Autumn Fisher behind.

Rachel Robertson’s race also ended early after Ella Lloyd made contact with the rear of the PUMA car, triggering a concertina effect to Ella Stevens and Esmee Kosterman behind and a Safety Car appearance on Lap 2.

The Safety Car was withdrawn at the end of Lap 6, as Ferreira nailed her getaway through the final chicane to hold on to the lead. Opening Race winner Alisha Palmowski tried to capitalise on the train of cars ahead by braking late into the Turn 10 hairpin. However, the Red Bull Racing driver was forced to take evasive action on to the grass to avoid collecting fifth-placed Larsen, leaving her with a broken front wing.

Further back, Stevens was handed a 10-second stop-and-go penalty for being out of position at the Safety Car line and was subsequently handed a five-second penalty for speeding in the pit lane whilst serving the penalty, with Jade Jacquet also penalised for the same offence.

Leader Ferreira was unable to eek out a gap out front, with Countryman and Paatz both within half a second of the Racing Bulls driver. After an attempt the previous lap, Paatz swept past the American at the final chicane to move into second.

Larsen and Palmowski were both on the move on Lap 13, as the Ferrari driver snuck up the inside of Payton Westcott for P4. As Palmowski tried to get the cutback on the Mercedes driver, there was contact with her Campos Racing teammate Megan Bruce who had tried her own move up the inside. Left with nowhere to go, Nina Gademan clipped Bruce in turn and went off into the barriers at Turn 2, necessitating another Safety Car.

Racing resumed with one lap to go with Ferreira producing a solid restart, but her hopes of victory were shattered as she was handed a five-second penalty for a false start. Although she crossed the line in first, the penalty demoted her to P10 and elevated Paatz to the win.

Countryman and Larsen squabbled over P2 in a drag race to the final chicane, with the Ferrari junior nipping through at the last second.

Payton Westcott finished in fourth ahead of Natalia Granada, ensuring a top-five finish for all three PREMA Racing cars. Lisa Billard wound up in sixth followed by Lloyd and Felbermayr, who recovered to take the final point in P8.

WHAT’S NEXT?

Palmowski will be looking for her second victory of the weekend as she lines up on pole for the Feature Race on Sunday, which is set to get underway at 10:45 local time (UTC-4).