Sephora Sponsors Driver Natalia Granada as it Becomes Official Beauty Partner of F1 Academy

Sephora is stepping onto the global motorsport stage as Official Partner and Official Beauty Retail Partner of F1 Academy™, with Spanish rookie driver Natalia Granada placed at the center of the sponsorship narrative for the 2026 season. The partnership is framed as a platform to support female talent and bring Sephora’s brand experience to new, live-event audiences across 18 Grands Prix.

A New Face for F1 Academy

As part of the deal, Sephora is backing Natalia Granada for her rookie campaign on the 2026 F1 Academy™ grid, positioning her as a key ambassador for the brand’s push around individuality and confidence. She will race in the SEPHORA operated by PREMA car, tying her performance directly to the retailer’s first major move into elite motorsport.

The livery is inspired by Sephora’s signature black and white stripes, turning the car itself into a rolling expression of the brand’s visual identity. That choice makes Natalia Granada a highly visible lead figure in the partnership, with every lap reinforcing the connection between women’s racing, beauty, and global fandom.

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Sponsorship Built Around Women

The partnership is anchored in a shared ambition “to elevate and support female talent on the world stage, with F1 Academy™ Managing Director Susie Wolff noting, “Sephora is an iconic global brand with a passionate community across markets worldwide, championing individuality and confidence. This partnership goes far beyond beauty; together, we are challenging outdated stereotypes and redefining who and what belongs in motorsport.” 

By centering Natalia Granada in the program, Sephora connects its core message, self expression and confidence, to a young driver navigating her first season in a still growing championship. It’s a different approach from traditional motorsport sponsorships that often lean on established male stars, instead spotlighting emerging female talent as the face of the deal.

Trackside Glamour, Retail Strategy

On the ground, Sephora will activate through Glam Bars at 18 Grands Prix via the F1 Paddock Club, bringing services, product touchpoints, and beauty experiences directly into Formula 1’s premium hospitality environment. That places Sephora in front of high spend, global consumers while aligning its retail theater with live racing.

For Sephora, the F1 Academy™ tie in is also a strategic bridge between physical experiences and brand storytelling at a time when retailers are seeking distinctive, event led engagement. For F1 Academy™, a major beauty partner with a strong digital and store footprint, adds new audiences and sponsors from outside motorsport’s traditional categories.

Why Natalia Granada Matters Here

In sponsorship terms, Natalia Granada represents the human link between a beauty powerhouse and an emerging women’s racing platform. Her rookie status gives Sephora a long runway to build narrative, development, setbacks, and breakthroughs around a single driver whose car and suit carry clear, highly legible brand cues.

For fans, especially younger women following both beauty and sport, seeing Natalia Granada in a SEPHORA operated by PREMA entry helps normalize the crossover between paddock, pit lane, and beauty counter. It also signals that future athlete, retail collaborations may look less like traditional logo placements and more like integrated, story driven partnerships built around individual talent and lifestyle culture.