Alba Larsen admits ‘there’s a little bit more to find’ in Shanghai after best-ever Qualifying
alba larsen sealed her first front row start in Qualifying at the Shanghai International Circuit, and the 17-year-old Ferrari driver left the pits pleased but candid: there is still work to do despite a career-best one-lap showing.
What did Alba Larsen mean when she said ‘there’s a little bit more to find’?
Larsen held provisional pole for the first half of a busy session before conceding to Alisha Palmowski, who set the fastest lap of 2: 04. 182. Larsen made an error on her fastest attempt and could not overhaul Palmowski, finishing P2 — her best one-lap performance in the series so far.
“I’m very happy overall with qualifying P2 and on the front row – my best start in F1 ACADEMY, ” Larsen said. “It’s a really good start in the partnership with Ferrari and I think they’re also very happy. Obviously the gap needs to be a bit closer but I did make a mistake on my best lap so I think there’s a little bit more to find from my side. I know the race pace is good so with a front row start, I’m definitely very happy and for the races, it means there’s a lot that can happen. ”
Her comments framed the small margins that separated the drivers: a tidy run could have produced pole, but the session’s late shuffle left Palmowski untouchable by a margin Larsen acknowledged she could still close.
How did the Shanghai Qualifying session unfold and where did alba larsen fit in?
The session began with drivers working to generate tyre temperature after changing grip levels from earlier sessions. Aston Martin’s Mathilda Paatz initially topped the times before Palmowski and Emma Felbermayr pushed forward. Larsen jumped from fifth to provisional first at one point, building a buffer of over two tenths.
A brief on-track disruption when Haas’ Kaylee Countryman slowed forced another out lap and added late pressure. Palmowski then produced the session’s fastest lap and could not be passed, with Larsen settling for second and Felbermayr third. Payton Westcott showed strong pace earlier and had a best lap reinstated following Qualifying, a change that affected the final order.
Last year’s results at the circuit also informed expectations: Larsen’s best result at the Shanghai International Circuit in the previous season was a hard-fought fourth in Race 2, a performance she said encouraged her to aim for more this weekend.
What are teams and drivers doing now, and who is reacting?
Ferrari’s partnership with Larsen is already producing a tangible step forward; Larsen said the team was “very happy” with the qualifying result. Palmowski, who celebrated a long-awaited maiden pole, framed her own momentum with a short declaration that it had been a long time coming and set her sights on converting the pace into race success.
Nina Gademan of Alpine earned reverse pole for Race 1 and will start the first race from the front of that reversed grid. The qualifying format and the reverse-grid rule mean starting positions will reshuffle for Race 1, keeping strategic options open and leaving room for action on track.
For Larsen, the immediate responses are focused inward and operational: tighten the one-lap edge she identified, lean on the race pace she trusts, and use the front-row start as momentum toward a maiden podium. Charles Leclerc had told her that the Shanghai circuit is challenging for him, a perspective she referenced when reflecting on how the track suits her driving style.
Image caption suggestion (alt text): alba larsen on the grid at the Shanghai International Circuit after securing P2 in Qualifying.
Back in the paddock where the session began, Larsen’s smile was tempered with resolve. The front-row start is progress — a clear sign of movement in a season just starting — but her words, “there’s a little bit more to find, ” hung in the air as a promise that the hunt for a first podium will continue through the weekend.
