The F1 Academy drivers took to the infamous Silverstone circuit to kickstart the British Grand Prix weekend, with Free Practice 1 offering the first opportunity to get up to speed on one of the calendar’s fastest and most demanding tracks.
Heading out before the temperatures began to rise, the cooler morning conditions provided a valuable chance for teams to gather data and fine-tune their setups ahead of qualifying later in the day.
Key Moments from Free Practice 1
Many of the 18 drivers took to this track for the first time in their careers, excited for the opportunity to race at the legendary circuit.
Esme Kosterman, driver for Lego, caused a brief early yellow flag as the car looked to stop on track. Kosterman was able to get the car up and running again, completing the rest of the session without any further issues.
Lisa Billard was another driver who brought out a temporary yellow flag after the Gatorade driver spun at Turn 1. An amazing recovery saw her immediately regain control of the car, preventing it from spinning further.
The rest of the session ran without any major interruptions, giving the drivers plenty of time to build confidence and improve their pace around Silverstone. As the session went on, lap times continued to fall, with many drivers finding more speed in the closing minutes as they completed their final runs ahead of qualifying.
F1 Academy Driver Standings Heading into Free Practice 1
Alisha Palmowski, driving for Red Bull, currently tops the standings with a 25-point lead. Gaining 53 points in the last race weekend in Canada put her in a strong position to lift the Championship trophy under the Las Vegas lights. Palmowski finished Free Practice 1 in P2, following a spin after entering a corner with slightly too much throttle.
Audi driver Emma Felbermayr is in second position in the Championship and also shows good prospects. Despite coming from an inconsistent previous race weekend, she has demonstrated raw talent and the ability to go the distance. She finished Free Practice 1 in P4, showing her speed around the Silverstone track.
Who is the Wildcard in Free Practice 1?
Heading into Round 3, Chiara Bättig is behind the wheel of the Wella car, making her debut in the F1 Academy series. The 16-year-old is no stranger to success in motorsport, as she’s the youngest Swiss Karting Junior Champion and the first to win the title across three consecutive years.
In 2025, Bättig was selected as a karter for the F1 Academy ‘Discover Your Drive’ programme, the global initiative to increase accessibility and access to motorsport for young girls. Her involvement in the programme saw her finish as runner-up in the OK-N Senior category, the racing class backed by F1 Academy.
Bättig continued to build momentum after stepping up to F4, securing six top-10 finishes in the F4 Saudi Arabian Championship before claiming her maiden podium in the 2026 Formula Winter Series. She has carried that form into British F4 this season, adding another podium with a third-place finish in Race 2 at Silverstone.
Determined to make her mark and secure a seat in F1 Academy next year, Bättig was half a second clear of the rest of the grid midway through the session. Finishing the session at the top of the leaderboard, Bättig showed consistent pace and confidence with a time of 2:02.640.
