Doriane Pin Completes First F1 Test with Mercedes

2025 F1 Academy champion Doriane Pin has completed a landmark Formula 1 test with the Mercedes team, driving the championship-winning W12 at Silverstone. The 22-year-old French driver, who is a Mercedes development driver, fulfilled a long-held dream and marked a significant moment for both her career and the all-female F1 Academy series.

Why it matters:

Pin's test represents a tangible step forward in the path for women in top-level motorsport. It is a rare opportunity, with the last private F1 test by a woman being Jessica Hawkins with Aston Martin in 2023. The milestone validates the F1 Academy's core mission of creating real-world opportunities for its drivers and demonstrating that a pathway to F1 exists.

The details:

• Pin drove the Mercedes W12, the car Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas campaigned during the intense 2021 championship season.
• She described the day as "very special" and something she had "dreamed for so long," vowing to enjoy every second and use the experience for growth.
• Her connection to Mercedes was solidified after the team, led by Toto Wolff, backed her successful 2025 F1 Academy title campaign, after which she was appointed a development driver.
• The last woman to participate in an official F1 race weekend session was current F1 Academy managing director Susie Wolff, who took part in a Free Practice session for Williams back in 2014.

What's next:

This test is a critical data point for Pin's development and for Mercedes' evaluation of her potential. While a full-time F1 seat remains a distant goal, successful tests like this are essential for building a driver's resume and simulator correlation. For F1 Academy, it serves as a powerful promotional tool, proving the series can deliver on its promise of providing its champions with meaningful track time in top-tier machinery and keeping them in the conversation for future opportunities.