The Alzira-based outfit sealed the runner-up spot in the Teams’ standings after its two drivers dominated Sunday’s race. Chambers, with victory, pole position and fastest lap, also secured third place in the Drivers’ championship. Ferreira, who scored points in both races, played a key supporting role in the all-female category
Campos Racing and its drivers wrapped up their participation in the 2025 F1 Academy season with a superb performance in Sunday’s Las Vegas race, held at sunset among casinos and neon lights. After a Saturday in which everything became extremely challenging, the entire team went all-in for Race 2 — and Chloe Chambers and Alisha Palmowski delivered a memorable one-two at the chequered flag, sealing the Teams’ vice-championship for the Spanish squad.
Chambers, driving her Tatuus machinery in the colours of the Red Bull Ford Academy Programme, claimed her second win of the season — her seventh podium overall — and did so in front of her home crowd. Meanwhile, Palmowski, representing the Red Bull Racing Academy Programme, backed up her teammate with an excellent second place and another strong points-haul for the team. Also worthy of praise was the performance of Rafaela Ferreira, the Brazilian from the Visa Cash App RB Academy, whose eighth and ninth places proved decisive in the championship fight.
On Friday, following free practice, qualifying took place in the expected cold night-time conditions. In their first attempts at a flying lap, Chambers and Palmowski positioned themselves fifth and seventh. But once the session reached its halfway point, Chambers set a 2m07.150s to take provisional pole. The American still had more pace in hand, and with three minutes remaining she lowered her time to a 2m06.731s. Even though she was already out of reach for her rivals, Chambers found a few more tenths to stop the clock on a definitive 2m06.538s — her fourth pole of the season, along with two extra points. On her final attempt, Palmowski posted a 2m06.918s that secured her second place and a front-row start alongside Chambers. Ferreira’s best effort, a 2m07.999s, placed her ninth on the grid.
Saturday’s race featured a reversed grid for the top eight, meaning Palmowski and Chambers lined up seventh and eighth respectively. Conditions were extremely tricky, with significant humidity on track prompting the race to start behind the Safety Car. Moments after the SC peeled into the pits, two front-running drivers collided, triggering its immediate return. As a result, Palmowski, Chambers and Ferreira all gained two positions automatically. Green flags returned on lap four, with Chambers overtaking Palmowski on the restart to move into fourth. Race leader Alba Larsen brushed the wall, damaged her suspension and spun, allowing both Campos Racing drivers to gain another place.
But the Safety Car returned once more on lap seven when Ella Lloyd hit the wall while chasing Palmowski. The race restarted on lap nine just as raindrops began to fall again. After contact, Chambers spun and her race came to an end. Palmowski crossed the finish line in third but later lost the podium due to an incorrect Belleville stack configuration in the damped shaft assembly of her car. In the ensuing chaos, Ferreira salvaged a valuable eighth place.
For Sunday, with track conditions completely different from the day before — dry asphalt and temperatures around 20°C — Chambers and Palmowski held their front-row positions as soon as the lights went out. Palmowski came under early pressure from Larsen, but kept her at bay. Ferreira moved up to ninth just before the Safety Car was deployed after a lap-three incident that left two cars stranded on track.
On the restart, Chambers controlled the field while Palmowski once again impressed with her defence of second place. Larsen was soon overtaken by Doriane Pin and Maya Weug, who then broke away from the pack together with the two Campos Racing drivers. Weug first passed Pin and then overtook Palmowski with two laps to go, but the Briton from the Red Bull Junior Team retaliated brilliantly, reclaiming second place just seconds later. By then, Chambers had already opened a comfortable lead, setting fastest lap in the process and securing the extra point. After thirteen laps, Chambers took the chequered flag as the race winner, with Palmowski finishing second a little over four seconds behind. Ferreira completed the team’s strong collective performance with ninth place.
After 14 races, Chambers concludes the season third in the Drivers’ standings with 127 points. Palmowski finishes inside the top five with 74 points, while Ferreira ends the year twelfth with 18. In the Teams’ championship, as previously highlighted, Campos Racing secured the vice-championship with 236 points — beating the third-placed team by just one.
With the season now complete, Campos Racing is already shaping the foundations of its 2026 campaign.
Photos: Getty Images
