For Doriane Pin there has only been one target at the forefront of her mind – to win. That’s a lofty ambition for even the greatest of drivers, but it’s precisely that relentless pursuit that fuelled the 22-year-old on her way to becoming the 2025 F1 ACADEMY Champion.
Never one to blend in, Pin was destined to stand out from the moment she first set foot in a kart aged seven. Too small to race initially, she soon began to break the racing driver mould. As her nickname of ‘Pocket Rocket’ attests to, Pin was a driver you should never underestimate.
Opting to go down the sportscar route, the French racer was the first woman to win the FIA World Endurance Championship’s Revelation of the Year Award and her destiny seemed set in endurance. However, when Mercedes offered her the chance to represent them in F1 ACADEMY, it was a chance she was determined to repay with the title.
“Champion is a beautiful word to really fit our season,” she summarises. “We can be really proud of all the work we have done since last year. We never gave up, we worked so hard on winning races, winning the title.
“Since the very first time I got in a go-kart, I wanted to win every single race I competed in. I’m very happy about my entire journey, and obviously my journey with F1 ACADEMY has been unforgettable. I’m very proud of all of this, and now we can celebrate it.”
‘The work you’re doing always pays off’
Storming onto the scene with victory on her F1 ACADEMY debut in Jeddah, Pin had every intention of claiming the 2024 crown with PREMA Racing. However, she found she’d met her match in Abbi Pulling. The Briton dominated the season and, despite Pin’s valiant efforts, Pulling sealed the title by 121 points.
Entering the 2025 F1 season, it was clear that Pin had unfinished business to take care of. As a title favourite, the weight of expectation fell heavy on her shoulders. Her competition was no less fierce, as Ferrari junior Maya Weug went back-and-forth with Pin for the top spot.
“Obviously it’s amazing to battle with an experienced driver, with someone who knows how to race,” she replies when asked about her season-long duel with Weug.
“She’s talented and very much deserves her success this year. It was a close battle that I actually enjoyed a lot, because you need those drivers to push you and push each other to the top. We did exactly that so it was really positive.”
Taking the Standings lead with a daring first lap pass on Weug in Shanghai Race 2, Pin lost the top spot one round later, a position she refused to accept. Recognising that she needed to step up her game, the Mercedes junior left no stone unturned as she drove herself to be better than ever.
Claiming four wins and four further podiums, she finished outside the top five on just one occasion and sealed the title in the final race by 15 points. Her impeccable consistency was built on rapid speed and a sharp intellect, choosing her moments wisely – not least her outstanding performance going from sixth to the victory in Miami Race 1. However, Pin’s ambitions would never be content with anything less than the top step of the podium.
“When you’re not winning, it’s challenging because you doubt yourself,” she admits. “You always put yourself first to know what you could do better, what you could improve, what you could do next time.
“Zandvoort was a good example. It was not easy at all but we were still there performing on Sunday. Keep working hard and never give up. The work you’re doing always pays off.”
Even her behaviour behind the scenes takes lessons from those that have gone before her, with her journal recording car and session details reminiscent of Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel.
The change in Pin across her two seasons isn’t stark, with her virtually unshakeable mentality ever present. Yet there’s something more refined in her approach, a humble yet firm self-assurance that becomes apparent on-track.
“Just being in the present,” Pin responds when asked about her mentality last season. “Winning and fighting for a title for the whole year hasn’t been easy because when you’re leading, you’re the one to beat. You’re the one that has to be there all the time.
“We have been very good all year, especially the last weekend in Vegas – we’ve been spot on from FP1 to the last lap of the race. We prepare well, we have the right mindset and it’s definitely the right way to approach things when you’re focusing on yourself and being in the moment.”
She adds: “We’re champions and it’s about how intelligent you are sometimes and your approach. I’m very happy about this weekend especially, because we have been very ahead of our contenders in terms of approach. It’s clearly making a difference because we are champions.”
Her Mercedes family
On hand to celebrate the title with her in Las Vegas were Mercedes, as the Formula 1 team poured into parc ferme wearing custom ‘P1N’ shirts. George Russell, Kimi Antonelli and Toto Wolff were amongst the first to congratulate her and the Team Principal was full of praise for their young star.
“Dori has been a great addition to the team,” he remarked in the Mercedes End of Year Review video. “Her background was a little bit different because she came through karting and then more from touring cars and GT cars, and some very good performances in prototypes.
“But then she went into [F1 ACADEMY] and crushed it. She won the championship. She’s a fierce young lady that can drive. From a personality, she fits into Mercedes, she fits into the team and it’s a pleasure to see her working.”
Her place at the heart of the Mercedes family saw her sit down with Russell for some advice ahead of her debut in Montreal – both would take to the top step across the Canadian Grand Prix weekend – alongside joining the garage for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
“Mercedes have been there from day one,” she says. “They are incredibly supportive of me every day, from bad days to good days. They bring professionalism, experience and performance into my racing career. It’s beautiful to achieve that together. Celebrating with them was a beautiful moment. I will remember it for my entire life.”
Ending this chapter and onto the next
As the next stage awaits, Pin’s aspirations know no bounds. With a versatility that should stand her in good stead for any path she chooses, the opportunities are endless. Savouring all she’s learnt across her two seasons in F1 ACADEMY, her childhood dream is as alive as ever.
“I’ve definitely grown a lot as a person because you’re in such an incredible world,” says Pin. “Every day you learn something so it’s super fascinating when you’re passionate about motorsport and the high level of sport.
“I’ve learned so much in terms of driving, but also outside the track and on myself as well. I’m really proud of everything I learned because I know it’s a privilege and I know it’s going to be very helpful for the rest of my career.”
She adds: “The idea is to have a long and successful career. Hopefully we will achieve good things with everyone who is involved at the moment with me […] I’ve grown so much, it will definitely help me in my entire career.
“F1 ACADEMY and everything around it is big and I will never give up on achieving my ultimate goal – that’s Formula 1.”
