Sephora is the newest beauty partnership of F1 Academy: The leading global beauty retailer carries a mix of high-end, classic, and emerging beauty brands and offers a wide range of cosmetics, skincare, fragrances and haircare. And now, they are also represented on the grid. With a bespoke livery and matching race suit picking up the brands signature black and white stripes, Spanish driver Natalia Granada caught eyes during her series debut in Shanghai.
At a first glance, the worlds of motorsport and beauty might not look like they overlap. After all, what does burning rubber, roaring engines and squeezing out the last hundreth in qualifying have to do with applying lipstick? But when comparing the mission and vision of both partners, the common ground quickly becomes clear. F1 Academy’s key goal is to support female drivers, opening doors in the world of motorsport that often stay closed for them. Sephora can resonate with female empowerment, championing diversity, and empowering self-expression through an open, inclusive beauty community. Granada explained what it means to have a brand like Sephora back her racing career:
“Beauty and sport might seem like different worlds, but both celebrate confidence and expression. Support like this is incredibly important for female drivers, and it’s empowering to have a brand that truly believes in our ambitions.”
Natalia Granada, F1 Academy driver
Susie Wolff, F1 Academy Managing Director, also stressed the compatibility of the partnership. She explained how together with Sephora the series could once again challenge outdated sterotypes and redefine who belongs in motorsport.
Setting the precedent for beauty partnerships
Before Sephora entered the series, Charlotte Tilbury already laid the groundwork for beauty partnerships in F1 Academy. In 2024, the brand became the first beauty company to partner with the series and marked its debut in global sports sponsorship altogether.
The move was symbolic, connecting motorsports with themes like confidence and empowerment for a female audience specifically. It also introduced the idea that beauty partnerships could play a meaningful role in motorsports that goes beyond sponsoring and into story telling. It was proof that there is a natural alignment between the mission of F1 Academy and the messaging of modern beauty brands.
A female founder at it’s head and a livery full of painted lips, it felt like a deliberate celebration of beauty culture and personal expression. Despite (or maybe, especially because) genuinely being enjoyed by girls and women alike, these art forms are often dismissed or trivialised. The communication around the partnership however strayed from throwing around carless sexist clichés, and rather focused on racing achievements and highlighting women in motorsports. This is also visible in the slogan “MAKE UP YOUR DESTINY” readable on the livery, playfully combining the partners under their common mission.
At the same time, it set expectations. By positioning drivers at the center of the narrative, Charlotte Tilbury demonstrated what authentic beauty partnerships in motorsport could look like. This is the benchmark that newer entrants, including Sephora, will inevitably be measured against.
The race for Beauty partnerships
Beauty partnerships in Formula 1 have traditionally been rare, but their presence has also been steadily growing in recent years. British brand Elemis became the first major beauty sponsor of an F1 team, partnering with Aston Martin and offering skin‑care activations at race weekends.
Meanwhile, luxury house Givenchy has Alpine’s Pierre Gasly as a global ambassador for its fragrance line, showing how beauty high‑end brands can align with star drivers. Carlos Sainz caught attention with his ads for L’Oréal Paris, a fashion‑meets‑beauty collaboration that blends motorsport performance with lifestyle narratives. Beauty partnerships are gaining more and more credibility across the motorsport world, and with Sephora at their side F1 Academy is right on top of this development.
