Pin Urges Girls to Dare Believing in Racing
Mercedes development driver Doriane Pin tells young girls to trust their ambitions, citing her path from karting to F1.
Key points
- Doriane Pin, 2025 F1 Academy champion, urges young girls to dare to believe in their motorsport ambitions.
- Pin became the first woman to drive a Mercedes F1 car, the W12, at Silverstone in 2026.
- She races in the European Le Mans Series and serves as a development driver for Peugeot and Citroën.
The air in the garage still smells of hot rubber and hydraulic fluid, a sharp, metallic tang that hangs heavy in the silence. Doriane Pin stands before the camera, the weight of a new title settling on her shoulders, her voice steady as she cuts through the noise of the paddock. She does not speak in abstractions, but in the hard, earned facts of her own trajectory, offering a roadmap carved from years of early mornings and late nights behind the wheel.
Her message to the next generation of women in motorsport is blunt and direct: dare to believe. It is not a soft suggestion, but a command to trust the ambition that burns in the chest. Pin, now a Mercedes F1 development driver, frames this belief as the engine that drives the machine, the fuel that keeps the pistons firing when doubt tries to stall the race.
From Karting Tracks to Brackley
The path began on a small, bumpy circuit when she was just nine years old. By twelve, she was battling for position in the national championship, a young face in a sea of seasoned competitors. Her early years were marked by steady progression, finishing tenth and fifth in the junior class before claiming the female category title in 2019. Each season added another layer of skill, another brick in the foundation of her career.
The climb continued through diverse disciplines, from the Renault Clio Cup to the GT3 class of the Le Mans Cup. She tested her mettle in Formula 4 across Southeast Asia and the UAE, building a reputation for consistency and speed. By 2024, she had arrived at the pinnacle of the Academy, and in 2025, she cemented her status as the champion, earning a seat in the Mercedes garage.
Breaking Barriers with the W12
The promotion to development driver for the Mercedes F1 team marked a historic shift. In 2026, she became the first woman to take the wheel of a Mercedes Formula 1 car, the W12, at Silverstone. The moment was not just a personal milestone, but a symbolic crack in the glass ceiling that has long defined the sport. It was a tangible proof that the dream is not just possible, but attainable.
Her role extends beyond the single-seater cockpit. Pin races in the Le Mans Prototype 2 Pro-Am class with Duqueine in the European Le Mans Series. She also serves as a development driver for Peugeot in the World Endurance Championship and Citroën in Formula E. This breadth of experience gives her advice a unique depth, grounded in the reality of a multi-discipline racing career.
Trust the Process of Growth
In a recent interview with Mercedes, Pin reflected on her journey with a clarity that resonates. She urges young drivers to trust themselves, especially when the road ahead seems impossibly steep. She recalls her younger self, who doubted the reach of her dreams, only to realize later that the goals were easily reachable. "You always have to think ahead," she says, a simple phrase that carries the weight of experience.
As reported by Motorsport.com, her advice is not about luck or privilege, but about the daily discipline of belief. It is about showing up, enjoying the ride, and having the courage to chase the greatest races in the world. For young girls looking at the horizon, Pin’s story is a beacon, a reminder that the dream is the map, and belief is the compass.
