THE 2026 SEASON SO FAR: The biggest talking points and the storylines still to come

Seven races down and seven more to go, the 2026 F1 ACADEMY season has served up its fair share of drama and that edge-of-your-seat action is set to continue into a decisive second half of the campaign.

With a memorable opening phase to reflect on, we take a look at what key narratives have unfolded up to this point and where your attention should be focused heading into the remaining three rounds.

WHO IS STILL IN THE TITLE RACE?

Mathematically, the fight to be crowned Champion is anyone’s game with a maximum of 143 points still to play for. In reality, it’s shaping up to be a two-horse race between Alisha Palmowski and Emma Felbermayr.

Felbermayr had the initial advantage after Round 1, holding a six-point lead over the Red Bull Racing driver courtesy of her double podium in Shanghai, including the Feature Race win. However, Palmowski was untouchable in Montreal, converting both pole positions into two dominant wins.

She followed that up with another Feature Race victory in Silverstone, snatching the lead into Turn 1 and giving her a 30-point buffer over Felbermayr at the top of the Standings. Of the two, Palmowski has been the benchmark over one lap with three poles to her name, but her rival’s consistency is a major threat, with the Audi junior the only driver to have scored in all seven races.

Looking ahead, two of the three tracks have favoured Palmowski in the past. While Austin will be a new frontier for them both, the Briton achieved P2 finishes in Race 2 at Zandvoort and Las Vegas and swept the board during in-season testing at the Dutch circuit this month.

This isn’t to say there aren’t other threats who could influence the title battle. If both or either driver fumbles in Zandvoort and Nina Gademan delivers on home soil, the Alpine driver could become a late threat. Her 58 and 28-point deficits to Palmowski and Felbermayr, respectively, would be hard to close quickly. Yet this fight is a marathon, not a sprint, and Gademan will be poised to capitalise on any weaknesses.

READ MORE: TESTING DEBRIEF: What we learnt from two days of running in Zandvoort

A HIGHLY COMPETITIVE FIELD

The close-knit battle out front is echoed down the field, as the battle for points is as fierce as ever. So far, 16 drivers have got points on the board, including one Wild Card in Chiara Bättig, with only Esmee Kosterman and Jade Jacquet yet to get their tally going. Additionally, there have been nine different podium finishers, five of which are full-time rookies.

Speaking of the newcomers, the competition for the top rookie spot is equally matched with Megan Bruce, Payton Westcott and Mathilda Paatz separated by only four points. Fourth-placed Bruce and seventh-placed Paatz both flourished with double podium finishes at Montreal, while sixth-placed Westcott has performed better at more unfamiliar tracks like Shanghai alongside the Canadian circuit.

Just behind, rookies Natalia Granada and Lisa Billard are growing in confidence with every lap. Granada’s podium in her first single-seater race remains her highest result, but a mature drive to P7 in the Silverstone Feature Race was a clearer demonstration of the Sephora driver’s improving racecraft. Meanwhile, Billard’s one-lap pace has been rapid, with a notable P3 result in Silverstone Qualifying and a promising run during Zandvoort in-season testing.

CAMPOS LOOKING TO RUN AWAY WITH THE TEAMS’ TITLE

Campos Racing have yet to achieve either the Drivers’ or Teams’ titles in F1 ACADEMY, but could the fourth time be the charm? Their rivals will be hard pressed to overhaul them, as the 53-point lead over Rodin Motorsport is the largest advantage at the halfway mark the series has ever seen.

The Spanish squad have the most consistent line-up, with their trio all scoring points in three races — once in Shanghai and twice in Montreal. Importantly, these were all in the higher scoring Opening or Feature Races.

READ MORE: F1 ACADEMY to welcome 7,000 local students to landmark extra day in Austin

By contrast, their nearest rivals Rodin have recorded only one race where their trio all finished inside the points. Reigning Champions PREMA Racing have achieved two points-scoring sweeps in Montreal, but suffered a setback after their worst performing round in the series, claiming only a single P7 finish.

Regular points appearances for MP Motorsport’s Gademan and Alba Larsen have also unsettled the three teams ahead. Meanwhile, improvements at Hitech and ART Grand Prix have increased competition for the top 10 and squeezed the midfield even closer together.

THREE UNIQUE CHALLENGES AWAIT

The second half of the campaign sees three exciting trips to Zandvoort, Austin and Las Vegas — each of which has the potential to shake up the order.

A very familiar venue to long-time F1 ACADEMY fans, the Circuit Zandvoort has featured in every season so far. Its banking is unlike anything else on the calendar, although the track’s tight layout will remind some of the field of the old school British circuits like Brands Hatch. Qualifying on Saturday morning will undoubtedly set the tone for the weekend, with six of the previous seven races won by the driver who started on pole.

WATCH: Guess The Circuit Challenge with Palmowski, Lloyd and Robertson

Heading to Austin for the first time since 2023, the playing field between the rookies and their second-year counterparts should be more level. Much like the Shanghai International Circuit at the start of the season, the wide-open layout at the Circuit of the Americas should provide ample room for wheel-to-wheel battles.

Lastly, the Las Vegas season finale is sure to be another showstopper. Blending long, flat-out straights and tight technical corners, the Las Vegas Strip Circuit will be demanding and insist on a strong attention to detail in order to put together the perfect lap. With tracks like these ahead and the battles set to intensify, you won’t want to miss a single second of what’s to come…