For Doriane Pin there has only been one target at the forefront of her mind \u2013 to win. That\u2019s a lofty ambition for even the greatest of drivers, but it\u2019s precisely that relentless pursuit that fuelled the 22-year-old on her way to becoming the 2025 F1 ACADEMY Champion.<\/p>\n
Never one to blend in, Pin was destined to stand out from the moment she first set foot in a kart aged seven. Too small to race initially, she soon began to break the racing driver mould. As her nickname of \u2018Pocket Rocket\u2019 attests to, Pin was a driver you should never underestimate.<\/p>\n
Opting to go down the sportscar route, the French racer was the first woman to win the FIA World Endurance Championship\u2019s Revelation of the Year Award and her destiny seemed set in endurance. However, when Mercedes<\/a> offered her the chance to represent them in F1 ACADEMY<\/a>, it was a chance she was determined to repay with the title.<\/p>\n \u201cChampion is a beautiful word to really fit our season,\u201d she summarises. \u201cWe can be really proud of all the work we have done since last year. We never gave up, we worked so hard on winning races, winning the title<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cSince the very first time I got in a go-kart, I wanted to win every single race I competed in. I’m very happy about my entire journey, and obviously my journey with F1 ACADEMY has been unforgettable. I\u2019m very proud of all of this, and now we can celebrate it.”<\/p>\n ‘The work you’re doing always pays off’<\/p>\n Storming onto the scene with victory on her F1 ACADEMY debut in Jeddah, Pin had every intention of claiming the 2024 crown with PREMA Racing. However, she found she\u2019d met her match in Abbi Pulling. The Briton dominated the season and, despite Pin\u2019s valiant efforts, Pulling sealed the title by 121 points.<\/p>\n Entering the 2025 F1 season, it was clear that Pin had unfinished business to take care of. As a title favourite, the weight of expectation fell heavy on her shoulders. Her competition was no less fierce, as Ferrari junior Maya Weug went back-and-forth with Pin for the top spot.<\/p>\n \u201cObviously it\u2019s amazing to battle with an experienced driver, with someone who knows how to race,\u201d she replies when asked about her season-long duel with Weug.<\/p>\n \u201cShe\u2019s talented and very much deserves her success this year. It was a close battle that I actually enjoyed a lot, because you need those drivers to push you and push each other to the top. We did exactly that so it was really positive.\u201d<\/p>\n Taking the Standings lead with a daring first lap pass on Weug in Shanghai Race 2, Pin lost the top spot one round later, a position she refused to accept. Recognising that she needed to step up her game, the Mercedes junior left no stone unturned as she drove herself to be better than ever.<\/p>\n Claiming four wins and four further podiums, she finished outside the top five on just one occasion and sealed the title in the final race by 15 points. Her impeccable consistency was built on rapid speed and a sharp intellect, choosing her moments wisely \u2013 not least her outstanding performance going from sixth to the victory in Miami Race 1. However, Pin\u2019s ambitions would never be content with anything less than the top step of the podium.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen you\u2019re not winning, it\u2019s challenging because you doubt yourself,\u201d she admits. \u201cYou always put yourself first to know what you could do better, what you could improve, what you could do next time.<\/p>\n “Zandvoort was a good example. It was not easy at all but we were still there performing on Sunday. Keep working hard and never give up. The work you\u2019re doing always pays off.\u201d<\/p>\n Even her behaviour behind the scenes takes lessons from those that have gone before her, with her journal recording car and session details reminiscent of Lewis Hamilton<\/a> and Sebastian Vettel<\/a>.<\/p>\n The change in Pin across her two seasons isn\u2019t stark, with her virtually unshakeable mentality ever present. Yet there\u2019s something more refined in her approach, a humble yet firm self-assurance that becomes apparent on-track.<\/p>\n \u201cJust being in the present,\u201d Pin responds when asked about her mentality last season. \u201cWinning and fighting for a title for the whole year hasn\u2019t been easy because when you\u2019re leading, you\u2019re the one to beat. You\u2019re the one that has to be there all the time.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have been very good all year, especially the last weekend in Vegas \u2013 we\u2019ve been spot on from FP1 to the last lap of the race. We prepare well, we have the right mindset and it\u2019s definitely the right way to approach things when you\u2019re focusing on yourself and being in the moment.”<\/p>\n She adds: \u201cWe\u2019re champions and it\u2019s about how intelligent you are sometimes and your approach. I\u2019m very happy about this weekend especially, because we have been very ahead of our contenders in terms of approach. It\u2019s clearly making a difference because we are champions.\u201d<\/p>\n Her Mercedes family<\/p>\n On hand to celebrate the title with her in Las Vegas were Mercedes, as the Formula 1 team poured into parc ferme wearing custom \u2018P1N\u2019 shirts. George Russell<\/a>, Kimi Antonelli<\/a> and Toto Wolff<\/a> were amongst the first to congratulate her and the Team Principal was full of praise for their young star.<\/p>\n