The F1 Academy debut of Doriane Pin, on the Saudi -Arab Grand Prix 2024, was an absolutely dominant version.
Until the second checkered flag.
She secured the pole position for both in qualifying with more than half a second about Abbi Traping, achieved a victory in the Licht-Tot flag in the first race and took the checkered flag in P1 in the second.
But to see Micommunication with her team Pin the Gerooled Flag twice with racing speed. After an investigation and the stage celebration pin, it was guaranteed to continue to penalty for the violation, which was converted into 20 seconds of penalty. That dropped her to P9 and promoted it to victory.
Now Pin goes back to Jeddah for this weekend’s Saudi-Arab Grand Prix, the second of the 2025 F1 Academy season, and the Mercedes-steering driver has a clear goal in mind: qualifying in the front.
“We had a good strategy in Shanghai, even though it was a bit of a compromise on Saturday,” Pin told the official F1 Academy website. “Jeddah will be different, there is a little less wear on the tires because it is a street track. We are going to see in qualifying, but the goal is to put everything together in Quali and to be in the front row.”
Pin has raced on the Jeddah Corniche Circit, Pin has Suber Experience on the difficult street track. But she knows that she should be in advance if she wants to bank so many points as possible.
“The most important point of the weekend is always eligible, especially on a street track in race 2 where you score (most) points, you want to start at the front.
“My target this weekend is to score as much as possible, but clear Pool and the victory, especially in race 2 for the points. Also to keep working on myself and to improve every time I jump in the car. To improve in my racecraft and catches up.”
The immersion other that PIN navigates this season is the inverted grid format, which F1 Academy has set up for the first race of each weekend, to promote opportunities for drivers. Drivers who are eligible in the top eight have reversed these posts for the Cracst race, so that the driver who is eligible will start at the front, while the driver who takes the pole position starts in P8.
That is especially difficult in Jeddah, where catching up comes a premium.
“The biggest challenge we are confronted with is the reverse schedule,” Pin outlined. “This year is new about being called, so it is a new challenge for everyone, but especially for the top eight where it is the other way around. Jeddah is not as easy as Shanghai for overtaking, so we have to be smart and to find a way to climb up and find good places.”
Still, thanks to the results at the Chinese Grand Prix Pin Estrars this weekend on top of the F1 Academy Drivers’ Championship classification, with a five-point lead in Maya Weug thanks to her victory in the second race in Shanghai, where the big points are handed out.
Pin wants to maintain the momentum, with “good results” in Saudi Arabia.
“It’s great to be on top of the rankings of the drivers,” added the Mercedes director. “We really did a good start to the season in Shanghai and I want to continue in that direction. Jeddah was very strong last year and I think we are to do it.
“We worked hard during the three days of testing and I am sure we are ready for the race weekend. I am looking forward to it and I hope we are going to brew good results for the team.”