Prema’s Pin profits from Campos chaos for F1 Academy win in Montreal

Photo: Formula Motorsport Ltd

Prema’s Doraine Pin won F1 Academy’s first race in Montreal, which replaced the cancelled Miami race.

Chloe Chambers had pole ahead of Campos Racing team-mate Alisha Palmowski, having topped qualifying in Miami, and on lap one Palmowski got alongside down the Casino Straight but Chambers stayed ahead with the inside line at the final chicane.

Palmowski looked to the inside of turn one on lap two but oversteered and when she tried correcting it drove Chambers off. It broke Chambers’ front wing, and sent Palmowski spinning.

Chambers still led, with Pin into second ahead of Rodin Motorsport’s Ella Lloyd and Emma Felbermayr. Palmowski was 14th, but continued attacking.

Pin was almost on the grass as she passed Chambers into the turn eight/nine chicane on lap three, then Chambers had a huge lock-up at the final hairpin as she tried getting back past. She was briefly ahead, but went too deep.

On lap four, Chambers locked up at turn two but got alongside Pin exiting the corner and reclaimed the lead into the following chicane. However she then took too much kerb and her damaged wing went underneath her car, and several drivers passed her before she was shown the black-and-orange flag and pitted.

Pin set fastest lap after fastest lap once in the lead, although Chambers then took it from her on new tyres when she rejoined. Lloyd was comfortable in second, and Prema’s Nina Gademan was pressuring Felbermayr for third.

Palmowski was back in the top 10 by lap eight, and next in her sights was Rodin’s Chloe Chong. She tries passing around the outside of turn two on lap nine but went wide, and also looked to overtake around the outside at the hairpin.

The same move was attempted on lap 10, and this time Palmowski remained alongside through to turn three where Chong asserted herself ahead once more.

At the hairpin Palmowski made a big lunge and got the move done, but Chong slipstreamed back past on the run to the final chicane. When she got there, she missed the corner entirely and conceded to Palmowski as Paatz crashed into the Wall of Champions and the safety car was needed.

When racing resumed on lap 15, Campos’s Rafaela Ferreira cut turn eight and rejoined into the path of Chong. The collision led to drivers behind having to quickly choose which way to go, and at the hairpin MP Motorsport’s Joanna Ciconte sent Chong spinning.

Ciconte drove around with her front wing underneath her car until getting the black-and-orange flag, Chong’s car set on fire and Ferreira parked up her car.

The rest of the race ran behind the safety car, and the chief beneficiary of the chaos was Chambers who climbed up to ninth behind Palmowski.

Technical troubles plagued MP’s Maya Weug from the start onwards, and she retired after multiple pitstops. It meant she lost the points lead to Pin.

Race results (17 laps)