Doriane Pin drives F1 car for the first time in Mercedes F1 Team's private test in Silverstone
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F1 Academy champion Doriane Pin got behind the wheel of the Mercedes W12 on Saturday at Silverstone during a private test session, completing her first ever Formula 1 test.
2025 F1 Academy champion Doriane Pin had the opportunity to complete her first test in a Formula 1 car at Silverstone, marking her debut in F1 machinery and making her the first woman to drive a Mercedes Formula 1 car.
Pin, who had spent time in the team’s simulator to prepare for the test, got behind the wheel of the Mercedes W12 - the 2021 Constructors’ Championship-winning car - on Saturday at Silverstone during a private test session. She was supported by coaching from official race drivers Kimi Antonelli, current Formula 1 championship leader, and George Russell.
“I will drive a Formula 1 car for the first time at Silverstone,” said Pin in a video message on Saturday. “I’m really looking forward to it. It’s going to be a big day and something I have dreamed of for so long. I will enjoy every second and take this opportunity to develop myself, continue to grow, and experience driving a Formula 1 car.”
Pin, 22, secured the 2025 F1 Academy title in Las Vegas after a remarkable campaign featuring eight podiums and four wins, scoring points in every race across her two-year stint in the all-female championship. She had previously finished runner-up in her rookie season in 2024, taking three victories.
Supported by Mercedes-AMG, the young Frenchwoman has been named Development Driver for the Mercedes F1 team for 2026, as well as Test and Development Driver for the Team Peugeot TotalEnergies Hypercar program, alongside her European Le Mans Series race seat with Team Duqueine in LMP2. Pin also enjoyed a strong return to endurance racing last week, securing a class podium on her first LMP2 start since 2023.
This test marks a particularly significant milestone in Pin’s career, as she joins the very small group of women to have driven contemporary Formula 1 cars.
Current F1 Academy Managing Director Susie Wolff remains the last woman to have participated in an official F1 session, having driven for Williams during four Grand Prix weekends between 2014 and 2015. The last female race start in Formula 1 dates back to 1976, when Lella Lombardi competed in the Austrian Grand Prix.
In recent years, several women have been affiliated with Formula 1 teams, often in development or ambassador roles. Jamie Chadwick and Lia Block have driven historic F1 machinery with Williams at Goodwood, while Abbi Pulling completed demo runs in Alpine F1 cars. The most recent woman to test a contemporary Formula 1 car prior to Pin was Jessica Hawkins, who drove for Aston Martin at the Hungaroring in 2023.
Despite being relatively new to single-seaters, Pin is no stranger to top-level competitions and big platforms. Before switching to formula racing in 2024, she was named Revelation of the Year in the FIA World Endurance Championship, earning podium finishes and consistently fighting at the front in the LMP2 class. She has also achieved success in GT3 racing, including being part of race winning line-ups at the Spa 24 Hours and in the European Le Mans Series.
Pin is also only the second woman in the 2020s to be awarded a Formula 1 test by a team.