The Navarra Eighteen: Inside F1 Academy’s 2026 Class of Future Stars

The F1 Academy series is rapidly solidifying its place as a crucial global stage for young female drivers in motorsport. Designed to showcase talent in equal single-seater machinery, the championship offers a structured pathway that bridges the gap between grassroots karting and professional single-seater racing.

First launched in 2023, the championship introduced its inaugural dedicated rookie test in 2025 at the Circuito de Navarra in Spain. Spread over two days, the initiative aimed to uncover promising talent for upcoming seasons, surrounding drivers with experienced engineers and coaching support. The concept proved immediately effective, with several participants from the 2025 test, including Megan Bruce, Jade Jacquet, Ella Stevens, Payton Westcott, Lisa Billard, and Natalia Granada, successfully stepping up to earn full-time seats on the 2026 grid.

In September 2026, the series returned to Navarra for its second official rookie test. Running alongside track time for the current grid, eighteen prospective talents took to the circuit over two days to gain vital experience and press their claims for future race seats.

The 2026 testing cohort brought together a diverse group of drivers from various international categories. European single-seater racing was heavily represented. From Scandinavia, Swedish driver Alexia Danielsson, who stepped into single-seaters in 2024, returned alongside fellow Swede Milla Sjöstrand, who currently competes in Formula 4. Finnish driver Ella Lähdemaa also joined following an extensive F4 testing program.

The Dutch delegation featured Rosanne Den Drijver, who made her single-seater debut in F4 in 2026, and decorated karter Eva Dorrestijn, a former FIA Girls on Track Rising Stars finalist making her second consecutive appearance at the Navarra rookie test. From southern and central Europe, Italian racer Ginevra Panzeri brought experience from Italian, CEZ, and French F4, while Clara Stiebleichinger represented Austria out of the French F4 paddock. Moroccan driver Sofia Zanfari also joined from French F4, alongside Estonian driver Carmen Kraav, a two-time recipient of her country's best female driver award who is actively testing F4 machinery.

Transatlantic talent featured prominently as well. North American entries included American driver Jordyn Martin, who joined the GB4 Championship in 2026 with Fortec Motorsports, and Canadian racer Autumn Fisher, a recent F1 Academy Wild Card driver who currently competes in French F4. American first-generation driver Yana Kapoor joined from the F4 ranks, while Brazilian driver Victoria Farfus represented South America out of the Ginetta Junior Championship.

The field was further bolstered by drivers with direct Formula 1 team connections and international accolades. Spanish driver Luna Fluxá Cross, a Mercedes-AMG F1 Junior Programme driver based in Mallorca, joined from the Spanish F4 Championship alongside fellow Spanish F4 driver and F1 Academy Wild Card entrant Zoe Florescu of Romania. Japanese racer Kokoro Sato and Japanese driver Sara Matsui, who has developed alongside the Williams Racing driver academy, brought valuable experience from the Kyojo Cup Series. Completing the 18-driver roster was Kareen Kaur, who made history as Singapore's first female Formula 4 driver following successful campaigns in regional karting.

Track action throughout the test was intensely competitive. In the morning session, lap times remained remarkably close across the opening runs, but it was Victoria Farfus who ultimately set the pace. Completing 37 laps, Farfus logged a 1:46.988, standing out as the only driver to break beneath the 1-minute 47-second barrier. Sofia Zanfari finished second fastest with a 1:47.305 after 47 laps, followed closely by Rosanne Den Drijver, who recorded a 1:47.471 over a busy 55-lap workload.

As temperatures rose during the afternoon session, the margins broadened slightly, but the field continued to gather crucial telemetry and mileage. Alexia Danielsson turned the tables in the second half of the day, setting the fastest afternoon benchmark with a 1:47.259 across 40 laps. Ella Lähdemaa clocked the second-quickest time with a 1:47.541 after 28 laps, while Farfus remained near the front, finishing third in the afternoon on a 1:47.547 over 33 laps.

The conclusion of the Navarra test marked another successful evaluation period for the championship. With 1,447 total laps completed across the group, these eighteen drivers demonstrated their capabilities under professional scrutiny, raising the prospect that several of these rookies could soon earn a place on the 2027 F1 Academy grid.