On the opening day of the 2026 F1 Academy in-season test at Navarra, Sephora-backed Natalia Granada topped the timesheets with a 1:46.906, going fastest of all and edging Emma Felbermayr by 0.187s.
Granada logged her fastest time in the afternoon session. However, Alba Larsen led the way in the morning to pip Felbermayr by just 0.009s. Due to travel disruptions, Alisha Palmowski was unable to take part in the opening day of testing. Here’s what went down on the opening day of testing at Navarra.
Morning session
As the session got underway, the grid wasted no time heading out on reconnaissance laps before the first representative laps time began to come through. McLaren-backed Ella Lloyd set the opening benchmark with a 1:50.935. Felbermayr soon joined the fight at the top of the timesheets with her Rodin Motorsport teammate, with the pair trading fastest laps before the Audi-backed driver moved ahead with a 1:47.753.
Within the opening hour, the Rodin Motorsport and ART Grand Prix trios remained the only drivers to set lap times. Continuing to improve, Felbermayr delivered consecutive personal best laps to move back to the top with a 1:47.118, edging Lisa Billard, who had briefly taken the top spot with a 1:47.171.
As the rest of the field joined them on track, Felbermayr’s benchmark remained unbeaten until the final 40 minutes, when Lloyd moved to the top of the timesheets with a 1:47.109. However, after breaking into the 1:46s, Felbermayr reclaimed the top spot before Larsen delivered the fastest time of the morning session with a 1:46.926. The Audi-backed driver finished just 0.009s behind.
Behind the duo, Lloyd, Granada, Billard, Ella Stevens, Rafaela Ferreira, Nina Gademan, Jade Jacquet and Rachel Robertson rounded out the top ten.
Afternoon session
Early into the session, Robertson set the opening benchmark with a 1:49.070 before lowering her time further by half a second. Behind the PUMA-backed driver, Billard, Kaylee Countryman and Felbermayr broke into the 1:48s before Jacquet moved to the top of the timesheets with a 1:47.930.
Felbermayr, who continued to to set personal bests, lowered the benchmark further to a 1:47.093, opening up a seven-tenth gap over Lloyd in second. Meanwhile, Billard closed the gap down to just 0.125s before Jacquet found the gravel at Turn 14, bringing out the red flags.
Once running resumed, Granada found her way to the top of the timesheets inside the second hour and managed to set the fastest time of the day with a 1:46.906. However, it was not long before Billard stopped on track, bringing out the second red flag of the session.
As the session resumed once again, Granada’s benchmark remained unbeaten. Behind the Sephora-backed driver, Felbermayr, Robertson, Billard, Ferreira, Lloyd, Jacquet, Gademan, Larsen and Payton Westcott rounded out the top ten.
