Payton Westcott Claims Maiden F1 Academy Victory at Zandvoort

ZANDVOORT, THE NETHERLANDS — 23 AUGUST 2026 — Payton Westcott enjoyed a breakthrough weekend at Circuit Zandvoort, securing her maiden F1 ACADEMY victory during the fourth round of the 2026 season with PREMA Racing, supported by the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team.

The American driver showed strong pace throughout the weekend, beginning with P13 in Free Practice before delivering a P9 result in Qualifying. Following the session, however, Westcott was promoted to P8 after Zoe Florescu was disqualified from the results for a technical infringement involving the engine lubricant in her Hitech car. The change promoted Westcott to pole position for Saturday’s Reverse Grid Race.

Making the most of the opportunity, Westcott converted her front-row start into a dominant performance. The 17-year-old made a strong getaway and immediately established a gap at the front before negotiating two Safety Car restarts without relinquishing the lead.

Despite pressure from behind in the closing stages, Westcott kept her composure to cross the finish line first, nearly two seconds clear of Alba Larsen. The result marked her first-ever F1 ACADEMY race victory and came alongside the fastest lap, adding another point to an already significant haul from the weekend.

The victory was particularly significant for Westcott after she had already scored two podium finishes during her rookie campaign, with third-place results in the Feature Race in Shanghai and the Reverse Grid Race in Montreal. The breakthrough win also moved her up the Drivers’ Championship standings.

Westcott then returned to the circuit on Sunday for the Feature Race, starting from P8. In challenging conditions, she fought her way to a ninth-place finish to complete a weekend that produced her first F1 ACADEMY victory and further strengthened her position among the championship’s leading rookies.

The Zandvoort round represents another important step in Westcott’s first full F1 ACADEMY campaign. Racing for PREMA Racing as the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team’s supported driver, she has established herself as a consistent front-running contender within PREMA’s all-rookie line-up. F1 ACADEMY had identified Westcott as the leading performer among PREMA’s three rookies heading into the second half of the season, with her one-lap pace proving a particular strength.

Her maiden victory now adds a first F1 ACADEMY win to the podiums she collected earlier in the season and provides further momentum heading into the final two rounds of the championship in Austin and Las Vegas.