Doriane Pin, the 22-year-old French driver, has secured the 2025 F1 Academy championship and will advance to a development driver position with Mercedes for 2026. Her victory came after a close battle with Ferrari's Maya Weug, sealed by 15 points in the final race in Las Vegas. Pin's new role involves simulator work, factory support, and mentoring Mercedes' upcoming F1 Academy driver.
Doriane Pin's journey in motorsport reached a milestone with her 2025 F1 Academy title win, marking a strong progression in her career with Mercedes. The 22-year-old French racer, who joined Mercedes' junior program in 2024, finished second in her debut season, trailing Abbi Pulling by 121 points. This year, driving for PREMA Racing, Pin claimed four victories and four additional podiums across seven rounds, overcoming a season-long duel with Maya Weug to clinch the championship by 15 points in Las Vegas.
Pin's success builds on her diverse experience, including endurance racing with the all-female Iron Dames team, where she became the first woman to win the FIA World Endurance Championship's Revelation of the Year Award. Reflecting on her endurance stint, she said: "I've learned so many things with the Iron Dames team... in longer races you are working with a full team with strategy people, with tyre people and engineers and so on. And it's very intense as well, but very good for learning."
Mercedes has rewarded her with an expanded role as a development driver in 2026. She will attend several grands prix, contribute to simulator development, and support factory activities while mentoring the team's yet-to-be-announced F1 Academy driver for the season. Her racing program remains forthcoming. "I'm very proud and grateful to take on the role of Development Driver with the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team," Pin stated. "My two years as part of the Junior Programme have helped me grow as a driver and this is a fantastic next step in my career."
Team representative Bradley Lord praised her attributes: "In her two years within our F1 Academy team, she combined dedication, speed, and race-craft with strong technical feedback and engineering knowledge – culminating in her championship success last season." Pin, whose ultimate dream is a Formula 1 seat, will collect her trophy at the Autosport Awards in London. Her versatility and determination position her well for future challenges in the sport.
