Payton Westcott Continues Strong F1 Academy Rookie Campaign with Podium Finish in Montreal

Payton Westcott continued her impressive rookie season in F1 Academy with another podium finish during Round 2 of the championship at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, Canada. Representing the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team with PREMA Racing, the American driver once again demonstrated strong pace and resilience across a demanding triple-header weekend.

Entering the Canadian round fourth in the championship standings following her podium-scoring debut in Shanghai, Westcott arrived in Montreal aiming to build on her early momentum. PREMA Racing also headed into the weekend encouraged by its strong start to the season, with the team highlighting Westcott as one of the standout rookies of the opening round.

Qualifying proved to be one of Westcott’s strongest performances of the season so far. The Mercedes junior secured her first front-row start in F1 Academy, underlining her growing confidence and speed around the fast and unforgiving Montreal circuit.

Race 1 presented a more difficult challenge. After running near the front in the early stages, Westcott encountered setbacks that dropped her down the order, eventually finishing P16 following an in-race penalty related to pit stop procedures. Despite the disappointment, the weekend remained far from over for the PREMA driver.

Westcott responded strongly across the remainder of the event, showing composure and maturity beyond her years. In Race 2, she fought through a chaotic contest to secure another podium finish after post-race penalties promoted her to P3. The result marked her second podium in just two F1 Academy rounds and further strengthened her position among the championship’s leading rookies.

The weekend concluded with difficult wet-weather conditions in the Feature Race, where Westcott once again ran competitively at the front of the field. Starting from the front row, she battled inside the leading group throughout the race and gained further valuable experience in mixed conditions against a highly competitive grid.

With another podium added to her tally, Westcott leaves Montreal having reinforced her status as one of the standout newcomers of the 2026 F1 Academy season. Her continued progress with PREMA Racing and the Mercedes Junior Team highlights a promising trajectory as the championship heads into its next phase.