The invention relates to a radial foil bearing having an outer ring (2) and three foil packs, which are formed from a corrugated foil (3) and a cover foil (4), wherein the radial foil bearing (1) is operable in only one direction of rotation (11), wherein a first end (6) of each cover foil (4) is fixedly connected to the outer ring (2) and the second end (7), at the opposite end from the first end (6), of each cover foil (4) is freely movable, wherein the shaft (9) to be supported can come into contact with the cover foil (4) within an angular zone (10) of the freely movable, second end (7) of said cover foil, or the envelope circle (15) of the radial foil bearing (1) comes into contact with the at least one cover foil (4) within the angular zone (10), wherein the cover foil (4) of the one foil pack (8) overlaps, at a radial distance, the cover foil (4) of the foil pack (8) that follows the latter in the circumferential direction.