After a heartbreak season in 2024, the “Pocket Rocket” returned with a singular mission. In 2025, Doriane Pin didn’t just race—she dominated, delivering a masterclass campaign that crowned her the F1 Academy Champion and put the entire motorsport world on notice.
The neon lights of the Las Vegas Strip have witnessed plenty of jackpots over the years, but on a cool November night in 2025, the biggest prize in female motorsport was claimed not by a roll of the dice, but by pure, unadulterated speed.
As Doriane Pin crossed the line in fifth place at the season finale—enough to secure the points needed to seal the championship—the radio crackled with a mix of French and English jubilation. The relief was palpable. The 22-year-old Mercedes Junior had finally done it.
“Champion is a beautiful word,” Pin told reporters later, clutching the trophy that had eluded her by a whisker the previous year. “We worked with only one goal: to become champions. I can’t believe we are finally here.”
Redemption Road
To understand the magnitude of Pin’s 2025 triumph, you have to rewind to 2024. It was a season of blistering speed tempered by rookie errors and bad luck, where she finished runner-up to Alpine’s Abbi Pulling. Critics acknowledged her raw pace—honed in the brutish world of endurance racing—but questioned her consistency in single-seaters.
2025 was the answer.
Staying with PREMA Racing and the Iron Dames program, Pin started the season with a lethal focus. She didn’t just want to win; she wanted to leave no doubt. The opener in Shanghai set the tone: a dominant victory that signaled the “Pocket Rocket” was fully fueled.
She followed it up with wins in Miami and a particularly emotional victory at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, a track that rewards bravery and precision—two of Pin’s defining traits.
“Mercedes have been there from day one. They bring professionalism, experience, and performance into my racing career. It’s beautiful to achieve that together.” — Doriane Pin
The Ferrari Rivalry
Every great champion needs a great rival, and Pin found hers in fellow PREMA driver and Ferrari junior, Maya Weug. The two traded blows all season, turning the championship into a captivating duel between the Silver Arrows and the Prancing Horse.
While Weug was fierce, snatching wins in Zandvoort and Singapore, Pin’s campaign was a lesson in championship maturity. She scored points in every single race, blending her natural aggression with a newfound tactical patience. When she couldn’t win, she podiumed. When she couldn’t podium, she brought the car home.
By the time the paddock arrived in Las Vegas, the math was simple but the pressure was immense. Pin delivered a calm, calculated weekend, winning Race 1 to put one hand on the trophy, and driving a sensible Race 2 to lock it away for good.
More Than a Trophy
Pin’s title is more than just silverware; it’s a validation of the Iron Dames project, which has backed her since 2021. It proves that the transition from GT cars (where she was already a revelation) to open-wheel racing is possible with the right support.
“I’m also thinking of all the people who have supported me since the beginning,” Pin reflected in Vegas. “My dad, the Iron Dames… we are here today because we are strong together.”
The Next Step: Formula 1 Sights
The victory lap is over, and the work has already begun. Just days ago, Mercedes-AMG F1 confirmed what many expected: Doriane Pin has been promoted to a full Development Driver role for the 2026 season.
She won’t just be a name on a press release. Pin is set to take on increased simulator duties at Brackley, effectively becoming a key part of the feedback loop for George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli.
“My two years as part of the Junior Programme have helped me grow as a driver,” Pin said of the appointment. “This is a fantastic next step.”
While her full 2026 racing program remains “soon-to-be-announced,” rumors swirl about a move to FIA Formula 3 or a dual campaign in FRECA. Whatever the car, one thing is certain: Doriane Pin has outgrown the “prospect” label. She is a champion, and the road to Formula 1 just got a little bit shorter.
2025 Season: By The Numbers
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Wins: 4 (Shanghai, Miami, Montreal, Las Vegas)
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Podiums: 8
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Key Stat: Scored points in every race of the season.
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Championship Margin: 15 points (over Maya Weug)
Dorianne’s Official Website: https://www.dorianepin.com/en