Payton Westcott earned her first F1 Academy victory in the reverse-grid race at Zandvoort on 22 August. The starting order changed after qualifying, so she began from first place. She remained in front after two Safety Car restarts.
Alba Larsen moved up five places and finished second. Dutch racer Nina Gademan finished third at her home event. Westcott led all 17 laps, although the other cars caught up with her during both Safety Car periods.
Payton Westcott kept her lead at the start
Westcott started well and reached the first corner before the other racers. This allowed her to choose the best path through the corner. Megan Bruce started near the front, while Gademan gained positions during the opening lap. The first lap matters at Zandvoort because the racetrack offers few wide braking zones. Sand beyond the asphalt also slows a car that leaves the usual path through a corner. Westcott avoided that problem and built a small lead before the first Safety Car period.
Westcott did not need to drive at maximum speed on every lap. She had to protect the tyres and keep them warm enough for a possible restart. Her calm opening laps helped her complete both tasks.
Payton Westcott kept her lead after both restarts
The other cars caught up with Westcott twice behind the Safety Car. At each restart, the other racers were close again. Westcott chose when to accelerate and did not give Larsen a clear chance to overtake. The timing of a restart is difficult on a short racetrack. Accelerating too early can help the car behind move closer before the first corner. Waiting too long can keep the cars too close together and increase the risk of contact.
She kept first place after both restarts.
The Safety Car periods also cooled the tyres. Racers moved from side to side and used the brakes while following the Safety Car to restore tyre temperature. Westcott restarted without locking a wheel or leaving the track.
Larsen and Gademan finished on the podium
Larsen started seventh and finished second. She prepared each overtake early and accelerated well out of the previous corner. Gademan gave the local crowd a Dutch driver on the podium. She gained positions at the start and kept third place after the restarts. Two MP Motorsport cars therefore finished in the first three positions.
A reverse grid creates a different test from the main race. Drivers with faster qualifying times begin behind several rivals. They must avoid contact with the other cars. Larsen and Gademan moved forward and avoided collisions.
| Place | Race driver | Race result |
|---|---|---|
| First place | Payton Westcott | First F1 Academy victory |
| Second place | Alba Larsen | Starting place: 7. Finishing place: 2 |
| Third place | Nina Gademan | Podium at her home race |
Westcott stayed calm under repeated pressure
Qualifying pace did not decide this race because the first eight positions were reversed. Westcott instead needed to drive well at the start and after both Safety Car periods. Each phase required a different decision. The leader cannot follow the braking point of a car ahead. Westcott’s engineer could report the distance to Larsen, but Westcott still had to judge the track and tyre grip.
The final distance between the cars was less important than Westcott’s response to pressure.
She remained first after both restarts and reached the finish without giving Larsen a clear chance to overtake.
All three podium drivers reached a new milestone
Westcott collected her first victory in the championship. Larsen achieved her first F1 Academy podium, while Gademan reached the podium at her home round. The same race therefore carried a separate milestone for every driver in the top three. The main race uses the full qualifying order. This does not reduce the value of the reverse-grid result. Westcott earned points by leading from the start and handling both restarts well.
The victory is Westcott’s best result of the season. She led from the first corner to the finish and completed her strongest race of the campaign so far.
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