The 2025 F1 Academy season will come to its end this weekend in Las Vegas. It’s the first visit to the cold and high-speed streets of the USA for the young single-seater series. A season in which the Championship has never been closer and all seats are still officially open for next season. Until then we will keep an eye on the two fights ahead of the season finale: Top Rookie and the Driver Championship.

Rookie Showdown: Lloyd vs. Palmowski

First-year drivers Ella Lloyd and Alisha Palmowski have learnt from every lap of this season and therefore find themselves in the Top 5 of the championship. Lloyd is driving for Rodin Motorsport with McLaren backing. She has already displayed remarkable consistency and often turned modest grid positions into podium finishes.

Lloyd’s maiden victory came in Jeddah, where she seized the lead at the start and held off more seasoned Ferrari backed driver Maya Weug. With 101 points, Lloyd currently sits third in the standings, just ahead of second-season driver Chloe Chambers.

Qualifying Battles

When it comes to single-lap pace, Palmowski has often outqualified the older driver, making Lloyd narrowly miss out on pole three times. The Red Bull Racing rookie has shown that she can extract every bit of speed from the F4 car. Her consistent front-row starts proved to be a platform from which she was able to challenge top drivers. The Rodin Motorsport rookie, on the other hand, has steadily improved her Qualifying performance, regularly making the Top 5 in the later part of the short 14-race-long support series.

Thriving in Reverse-Grid Races

Both rookies have excelled in reverse-grid events, a chance to prove their tactical nous and overtaking skill. Lloyd leads their head-to-head four to two, while Palmowski’s more aggressive approach has provided crucial podiums, including Zandvoort’s P2 finishes.

Lloyd has repeatedly turned misfortune into opportunity, such as the Shanghai Race 1 recovery from a pit-lane start to sixth place. The Red Bull Racing rookie, too, has bounced back from setbacks, including her spin that dropped her to P12 before racing her way back into the points.

As the Las Vegas finale approaches, both Lloyd and Palmowski are looking to end their rookie seasons with a statement. Their speed and adaptability make this a season-defining battle, with championship potential clearly in the future.

Championship Decider: Pin vs. Weug

The overall F1 Academy crown will come down to Doriane Pin (PREMA Racing/Mercedes) and Maya Weug (MP Motorsport/Ferrari), who currently sit just nine points apart in the standings. With 39 points available this weekend across Qualifying and the two races, Las Vegas will be the ultimate test of consistency to bag the most points.

Edge in Qualifying

The French driver has shown reliability, as she scored points in every race this season. Yet Weug’s three pole positions, including back-to-back poles in Zandvoort and Singapore, might give the Dutch driver a psychological edge. The Qualifying duel is currently tied three to three, but gaining the two points for pole could prove decisive.

Reverse-Grid Pressure

Both drivers have been tested in reverse-grid scenarios, as the Qualifying Top 8 get flipped for the first race of the weekend. The Dutch driver has outscored Pin on four of these occasions. She often races through the fields with fast overtakes that stick. Still, Pin has demonstrated calculated racecraft to secure vital points’ in the second, more points-heavy, race.

Las Vegas follows for Weug after dominating Zandvoort and Singapore, where she was able to gather momentum. In contrast, Pin has to rely on her points consistency to defend her slim lead in these final two races.

Las Vegas Awaits

The Las Vegas Grand Prix marks F1 Academy’s first time on the dazzling Strip. A weekend combining high-speed straights with tight, technical sections beside the Formula 1 series. Las Vegas will for sure be a test of adaptability for all, as no one has raced here before from the women.

Lloyd and Palmowski aim to conclude their debut season with strong performances. Pin and Weug seem to have everything to race for in their final F1 Academy season and in this championship finale.