TESTING DEBRIEF: What we learnt from the 2026 Rookie Test in Navarra

The second F1 ACADEMY Rookie Test has wrapped up at the Circuito de Navarra. While the current grid turns its attention to the penultimate round in Austin, the 18 rookies who took part will be hoping they impressed enough to follow in their footsteps.

Already a proven route towards the grid, the Rookie Test marks a key moment in the driver selection process. Alongside the on-track action and immersive experience inside the six teams, the introduction of the Rookie Training Camp gives every participant a clearer picture of the standards needed to compete in the series.

With 1,447 laps completed across the two sessions, there’s lots of information to pick out and discuss…

FARFUS FOUND HER STRIDE

Victoria Farfus made her mark by setting the fastest lap of the test, clocking in a 1:46.988 in the morning session. The only driver to break into the 1:46s, the 15-year-old finished almost three tenths clear of Alexia Danielsson in the combined timings, before going third-quickest in the afternoon. For comparison, she was only six hundredths slower than Ella Stevens’ best effort last year.

That performance was all the more impressive given Farfus’ limited single-seater experience. Unlike many of the other rookies, she has only tested and not raced in single-seaters. Instead, the former F1 ACADEMY DISCOVER YOUR DRIVE karter is honing her craft in the Ginetta Junior Championship, which uses G40 Junior sports cars as opposed to the Formula 4 cars used in F1 ACADEMY. The Championship has been a stepping stone for many up-and-coming talents, counting Formula 1 World Champion Lando Norris and 2024 F1 ACADEMY Champion Abbi Pulling among its alumni.

As she turns 16 in June next year, Farfus will not be eligible for the 2027 grid. However, her pace makes her a prime candidate for a future Wild Card appearance and a hot prospect for the teams to watch with an eye to seats for 2028.

SURPRISE STANDOUTS

Although Farfus dominated the top of the timesheets, several other drivers delivered performances worthy of making note of.

Sofia Zanfari was the closest to Farfus in the morning segment, with the 19-year-old Moroccan going second-fastest on a 1:47.305. Rosanne Den Drijver also made an impact, finishing third in the first session. One trend that emerged amongst the frontrunners was their familiarity with the tyres. Farfus, Alexia Danielsson, Zanfari and Den Drijver have all competed with Pirelli rubber and had a greater understanding of how it would adapt to the conditions throughout the day.

The notable exception to that was Kokoro Sato, who was one of the most consistent drivers, placing fourth in both sessions. The 18-year-old Japanese driver has never raced in Europe and has built most of her experience racing in the Kyojo Cup at the Fuji Speedway.

In contrast to last year’s test, former Wild Card drivers were able to participate with both Zoe Florescu and Autumn Fisher taking to the track. Florescu had already shown her speed, qualifying seventh on debut in Zandvoort before being disqualified for a technical infringement. That pace carried through to Navarra, as the Romanian driver clocked in the fifth-fastest time of the morning.

Ella Lähdemaa was another driver who managed to adapt well to unfamiliar machinery. Despite limited F4 testing experience, the Finn continued to build her confidence in the Aston Martin-liveried car as the running progressed, ending the afternoon in P2. Meanwhile, Jordyn Martin’s pace looked to be encouraging to her team, particularly her top-seven time in the first session.

HOW COULD THE TEST SHAPE NEXT YEAR’S LINE-UP?

The pathway from Rookie Test to race seat is already well-established. Seven drivers from the inaugural test graduated to full-time spots — Stevens, Jade Jacquet, Lisa Billard, Megan Bruce, Natalia Granada, Payton Westcott and Rachel Robertson — showcasing the test’s value as the perfect opportunity to benchmark female talent on a level playing field.

No seats have yet been announced for 2027, but there is the potential for six seats to open up if none of the current second-year drivers return for a third campaign. With the Rookie Test directly following two days of in-season testing for the 2026 drivers, the teams can use the running to directly compare and assess which drivers have the potential to compete without differing benchmarks, machinery and results across various junior-level series.

There are also more immediate opportunities to demonstrate their abilities from the test. Danielsson is set to make her series debut as the Wild Card entry in Austin, while the Wild Card spot for Las Vegas is still up for grabs.