Mercedes’ development driver Doriane Pin has announced a five‑year goal to win an F1 race seat.
Racing a Road to Formula 1
Pin, 22, set her sights on securing a race seat in Formula 1 within the next five years, a statement she made during a recent Mercedes “In Convo With Kids” interview. Her ambition, she said, would “open doors to all the girls that want to be a Formula 1 driver.”
Championship Success and Brackley Test
In 2025, Pin clinched the inaugural F1 Academy championship, the series’ first title winner. The achievement paved the way for her to join Mercedes as a development driver in the Brackley operation. That same year, at the Silverstone circuit in April 2026, she became the first woman to piloted a Mercedes F1 car, testing the 2021 W12 during a controlled session.
Multifaceted Motorsport Portfolio
Beyond Formula 1 duties, Pin diversifies her racing credentials. She is a development driver for Peugeot in the World Endurance Championship, races for Citroën in Formula E, and competes in the European Le Mans Series’ Prototype 2 Pro‑Am class with the Duqueine Team. The breadth of her experience underscores her versatility across high‑performance platforms.
Championing Diversity
Pin’s public remarks echo a broader call for inclusivity. “Diversity is needed in sports and beyond,” she told Mercedes’ press team, citing her own journey in a male‑dominated field as proof that more opportunities for women can transform the sport. She noted that if she graduates to Formula 1, she would join a small lineage of female drivers who have sat in modern‑era F1 machinery, from Susie Wolff’s 2014 practice session with Williams to Jessica Hawkins’ August 2023 test of the Aston Martin AMR21.
Building on a Legacy of Trailblazers
The list of women who have tested or driven recent F1 cars is short. In 2014, Susie Wolff broke a 22‑year silence by running a free‑practice session for Williams. In 2023, Aston Martin’s ambassador Jessica Hawkins set a lap record in a competitive environment. Pin’s trajectory, if successful, will add to this growing record and further validate projects aimed at equal participation.
Looking Ahead
With her development role in multiple top‑tier series and a clear vision for breaking into Formula 1, Pin’s next steps are already charted. From the Silverstone track to the Dakar stage of the W12, she is cementing her place in a racing ecosystem that increasingly values diversity, talent, and tenacity.
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