The roar of a Formula 1 engine is a familiar sound at Silverstone, but last Friday, it signaled a historic milestone for the sport. Doriane Pin, the 22-year-old reigning F1 Academy champion, officially added her name to the history books by completing her maiden F1 test with the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team.
Affectionately nicknamed the “Pocket Rocket,” Pin took the wheel of the championship-winning W12—the same car that secured Mercedes the Constructors’ title in 2021. Over the course of the day, she completed 76 laps of the Silverstone National Circuit, totaling roughly 200 kilometers of high-speed running. It wasn’t just a ceremonial outing; it was a rigorous test of endurance and technical precision.
The significance of the moment was not lost on Pin, who became the first woman to ever drive a Mercedes F1 car. “Driving an F1 car for the first time was unreal,” Pin shared after the session. “It was an extremely emotional day. Whilst being a female driver doesn’t define me, it was great to show what we can do.”
Mercedes engineers were quick to praise her performance, noting that she looked “at home” from the very first laps. Her transition from the F1 Academy’s lighter machinery to the 1,000-horsepower hybrid beast was seamless, a testament to her extensive preparation in the team’s simulator.
This test marks a pivotal step in Pin’s role as a Development Driver for 2026. Beyond her work at the factory, she remains a force in endurance racing, competing in the European Le Mans Series and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. For a sport long dominated by men, Pin’s assured performance proves that the gap between the F1 Academy and the pinnacle of motorsport is closing faster than ever.
