Momentum is building behind Doriane Pin, and now the 2025 F1 Academy champion is edging closer to a dream that once felt distant – a first taste of Formula 1 machinery with Mercedes.
Fresh off a title-winning campaign and now embedded as a development driver with the Brackley squad, Pin’s trajectory is accelerating fast. And Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff has green-lit a proper test with a Grand Prix car for the 22-year-old French charger.
While Pin has been busy pulling double duty – returning to her endurance roots in the LMP2 Pro-Am class and representing Peugeot TotalEnergies – it is her work behind the scenes at Mercedes that has paved the way for this next chapter.
The jump from the simulator to a live F1 cockpit is the ultimate vote of confidence from Wolff.
Pin’s performance in the virtual world has reportedly been so impressive that the team felt there was no reason to wait.
"Yeah, he said it," Pin confirmed when asked about Wolff’s promise of a test during an appearance on Formula 1’s Beyond The Grid podcast.
©Mercedes
Pin explained that the opportunity wasn't just handed to her; it was earned through rigorous data-crunching and precision in the sim.
"Obviously, we had to see how the sim was going and then it was the potential next step, but the sim went well, very well actually, and that's why they had the idea to put me in a private test and to give me the chance to drive the real car," she noted with excitement.
The road to the grid
For Pin, this isn't just a PR exercise – it is a critical step in a career-long mission. She is acutely aware of the weight of the moment, following in the footsteps of trailblazers like Susie Wolff, who was the last woman to take part in an F1 race weekend back in 2014, and Jessica Hawkins, who completed a private test for Aston Martin in 2023.
"So definitely I'm really pushing for it as well because I really want my chance to drive the car and to show that there's potential because my target is to go to Formula 1," Pin said.
"So I will make sure that I'm fully ready before jumping in the car in real life."
©Mercedes
While the anticipation is building throughout the Mercedes garage and the French racing community, there is still one minor logistical hurdle to clear. When asked if the seat for her Silver Arrow was ready yet, Pin added with a smile: "No, not yet."
With the 2026 season in full swing and her development role expanding, it won't be long before that seat is molded and Pin is finally unleashed on track.
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