Interview
ONE YEAR ON: Palmowski looks back at Shanghai Race 1 win and her ‘life-changing’ title aspirations
Alisha Palmowski has come a long way in the space of a year — savouring the taste of victory as well as the bitter frustrations that shaped her rookie season. On the eve of her sophomore campaign, the Red Bull Racing driver is embracing a new outlook as she sets her sights firmly on the title.
One of six returning drivers on the 2026 grid, Palmowski is widely tipped to be a title favourite. The Briton sat down with us to reflect on her evolution as a driver and her high hopes of opening the season in style once again in Shanghai.
“I'm so excited to be getting the second season underway,” Palmowski begins. “It seems like there's been a lot of off-time since Vegas. But equally, it seems to have come around super quickly. I'm really, really excited to try and showcase everything that I learned last year and translate that into results.
“I feel a lot calmer this year. I know what's coming. I'm aware of the challenge that's ahead, but I just feel like I'm better prepared. I'm ready now.”
A SURPRISE FIRST WIN
Palmowski didn’t have to wait long to reach the top step, claiming her first win just three races into her F1 ACADEMY career. For the 19-year-old, it couldn’t have come at a more unlikely venue than the Shanghai International Circuit.
Even on the day itself, the win didn’t look to be on the cards until leader Nina Gademan retired on the penultimate lap of Race 1 with a technical issue.
“It was quite a strange emotion,” Palmowski admits. “Out of all the circuits on the calendar, I actually do believe that Shanghai is my weakest circuit still to this day. We've been testing and it's much better for me now. But it isn't a circuit that naturally suits my driving style.
“It doesn't come as naturally to me as some other circuits do, so to have got that result and have won last year was a shock (…) It was a bit of a bogey track for me in a way. I was still quite new to the F1 ACADEMY car, so I was still adapting, still learning with every lap that I was doing.”
Although she fended off teammate Chloe Chambers to secure the win, it was far from a smooth run to the chequered flag. A radio failure midway through the race left the Briton with a constant loud beeping in her ear and she had no idea she’d won until she arrived in parc ferme.
“The moment that stands out is not what you think,” she explains. “After the race, I know now having watched the race back, my engineer came on the radio to tell me I’d won the race and congratulated me. I didn’t respond because I never heard the message!
“When I pulled up to the P1 spot and all the crowd was there, I hadn’t heard anything over the radio at all, so I didn’t know if I had actually won. It was all a bit strange, it seemed like a bit of a whirlwind. I don’t remember much of it, that’s why I need to do it again to refresh my memory.”
That victory marked a turning point in Palmowski’s confidence as she adapted from the GB4 Championship car to F1 ACADEMY machinery. Making tangible strides in her progress, her experiences last season have transformed her both as a driver and as a person.
“As a driver, I could talk to you for hours about what I've technically learned in terms of driving technique, tyre management,” she notes. “Now that we're returning to Shanghai, I can actually compare my data from this year to last year, so we can get a direct comparison of the progress that I've made.
I don’t remember much of it, that’s why I need to do it again to refresh my memory.
“You wouldn't know that it's the same driver, I don't think, comparing just the data because it's so improved this year. I actually think that I learnt a lot more about myself as a person last year. I've matured so much over the last 12 months.
“It wasn't an easy year last year. I had a lot of highs, but equally I had a lot of lows. I struggled with that at the time. Having the winter, it's given me time to relax, reflect on the season and think about what different mental approach I want to have heading into this year.”
Finishing fifth overall with one win and four further podiums, Palmowski’s pace was rarely in doubt. However, clashes or minor mistakes prevented an even stronger end result.
Asked whether she felt more was possible, Palmowski replies: “Yes, definitely! My rookie season, it was a positive one. We had multiple podiums and I had a win, but there were equally a few moments.
“Singapore was one of them in Qualifying. Without that one very minor mistake, the title could have been a different story. I could have been top three in the Standings. It’s only a very minor change that I need to carry into this year because the pace has always been there.”
While pre-season testing was a positive indicator of her potential, Palmowski knows the real test of her preparation will come during the race weekend. One of the first drivers confirmed for 2026, she has used the four-month break to full effect back at the Red Bull factory, refining her approach ahead of the seven-round campaign.
“Last year highlighted to me where my weaknesses were,” she explains. “Going into 2025, I was a bit blind. I didn't know what I was going to be strong at. I didn't know what I was weak at. I didn't know what areas in my development needed more attention than others.
“Whereas now, I can go down a list, tick certain boxes and go I'm strong there, and equally, these are the areas that need addressing. Over the winter, I’ve tailored a programme of what points I need to look at and slowly but surely I’m ticking every box.
“We’re in a much better position this year, but also I’m calmer because I know what’s going to come. I know how the series runs now, I know what to expect a little bit more — expect the unexpected. Obviously, it’s motorsport, you never really know what’s going to happen. I think I just know a lot more about myself and how I want to mentally approach the year, which is the biggest change for me.”
Despite fans getting behind her title challenge, Palmowski isn’t letting herself get carried away by the pre-season hype. Witnessing Champions Pulling and Pin step up to GB3 and the European Le Mans Series, Palmowski is aware that her performance — not expectation — will define her progression.
Nobody wants me to win more than me.
“It doesn’t change anything for me because nobody wants me to win more than me,” she admits. “There’s nobody that can put more pressure on my shoulders than is already there because I want to win for me and I know what I'm capable of.
“I’ll just drive as quickly as I can and focus on myself. I'll either win or I won't and that's really just my mentality going into this year. There's no point stressing about it. It’s motorsport, there's a lot of things outside of your control as well.
“I'm just focusing about what things can I control, what can I influence and making sure that I make good decisions, right decisions. If anything goes wrong, make sure that I quickly bounce back from it.”
Palmowski adds: “It would mean everything. Everything that I think about from the first thing in the morning to last thing at night is how to improve, how can I win this title, how can I get the next pole position and win the next race.
“It's all that I'm focused on, it's all that I'm interested in. It would change the course of my career because without winning the title, I don't know if I will be racing next year. It is high stakes, I know there's a lot of pressure.
“But equally, I want to take it race by race instead of looking at the bigger picture. From last season, watching Maya and Doriane and their points gap with how it closed, then it widened and it closed again. That’s something I learnt that at no point is it over. It's not over until the last race in Vegas.”
“Of course I want to be on pole and I want to win,” she adds. “But equally, if I don't, then it doesn't mean I've lost anything. It's a long season, there's 14 races and literally anything can happen in motorsport. I just need to play a wise, clever game, do what I need to do, focus on myself and then see what happens.”