Mar 11

Mar 11 Doriane Pin denied F1 Academy sweep despite Jeddah domination

Dorian Pin dominated the season opening F1 Academy weekend in Jeddah but was denied a sweep after being penalised for completing an extra lap in race two.

Doriane Pin celebrates after taking victory in both races of the F1 Academy season opener in Jeddah. She would later receive a post-race penalty for race two. *(Pauline Ballet/Formula 1/Getty Images)*

The 20-year-old Frenchwoman took pole position for each race with her two fastest laps in qualifying on Thursday, before leading from the front to take the chequered flag in both races.

"Obviously very happy, very emotional right now," she said on Saturday, before the penalty was announced.

"Double pole, it was amazing already, and it's amazing to convert this pole into two race wins."

"It's always special to start on pole position, it’s a mega feeling, and every lap completed around Jeddah was magic."

"I love this track, and I've been enjoying a lot here," said the Mercedes junior driver.

The only challenge for Pin in race one was a safety car restart after contact between Amna Al Qubaisi and Reema Juffali, with Pin duelling with closest rival Abbi Pulling for the fastest lap in the final stages of the race.

Doriane Pin in the F1 Academy paddock after securing pole for both races in Jeddah. *(Doriane Pin/Formula 1/Getty Images)*

It was a closer affair on Saturday for race two, with Alpine junior Pulling sticking with Pin throughout the race as the pair pulled a healthy lead on the rest of the female-only field.

Again, her closest challenge came during the safety car restarts, difficult already on the long front straight of the Jeddah circuit and made even harder in Formula 4 machinery.

"When you're leading and you see the safety car come you're like "no… really?"" said Pin.

"It's part of racing, and you have to be really smart and strong to do the safety car restart."

"The one [in race one] was good, the first one [in race two] was not mega, so I tried to be a little bit smarter for the second restart."

"I started in a different position on track and different corner and it was better."

Abbi Pulling, Doriane Pin, and Maya Weug on the podium in Jeddah. *(Sulay Kelly/Mercedes-AMG F1/Supplied)*

Looking set to leave the opening round in Saudi Arabia with a massive 51 points and the clear lead of the series, Pin missed the chequered flag in race two and completed an extra lap and was brought in only when red flags were displayed.

"A little bit of an issue with the radio," she explained after the race. "I couldn't hear anything by the engineer."

"I didn't know if it was the last lap or not, so I kept pushing in case it was not the last lap."

Hours later she learned her fate, receiving a drive-through penalty converted into a 20-second time penalty, dropping her to ninth and second in the standings after Pulling inherited the race win.

"An unfortunate end to an incredible first weekend in F1 Academy," she said on X after the penalty.

"The team and the car were amazing, but a post race penalty drops me to P9. Will come back even stronger in Miami."

It was a milestone weekend for the F1 Academy, soured slightly by the penalty but with plenty of encouraging signs that the series' development is well underway.

Racing on the F1 support bill for all seven rounds this year with full TV coverage and a free livestream on YouTube and X, the energy around the category is very high.

Drivers too, have been well supported with the involvement of Formula 1 teams in the category, each supporting one car and driver.

"It's an amazing, amazing opportunity to have the support of Mercedes," says Pin.

"I feel just very grateful for that and I think we have been working really, really good together since the beginning I've been doing the Mercedes junior program.

"The support I have from Lewis [Hamilton] or George [Russell] or even through the whole F1 team, it's super great."

"I mean, I can learn so much from them, racing during the F1 weekend, watching every single session of Formula 1. Or even Formula 2"

Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton with Doriane Pin in Jeddah. *(Sulay Kelly/Mercedes-AMG F1/Supplied)*

Pin has been showered with support, from Lewis Hamilton supporting her on the podium or visits to the Mercedes-AMG F1 garage throughout the weekend, including during the grand prix.

It's a great example of what can be achieved with the F1 Academy, a standard that the sport should hope to continue throughout the year and an example for the other teams in the F1 paddock.

"I think everything is positive for this championship," says the PREMA driver.

The series will return in Miami in May, a track that Pin says is a natural progression from Jeddah.

"It was totally an interesting weekend for drivers, for all of us, and to carry that for Miami because it's also another street track, technical and fast."

"So I think doing the first race in Jeddah, it's a good race to go to Miami."

The challenge of Miami will be for Pin to make up the 12 points to championship leader and clear rival Abbi Pulling, but the clear battle for the rest of the field will be catching Pin throughout the rest of the season.

With three years under her belt in endurance racing, it will be interesting to consider where Pin goes next.

She says that open wheel racing has always been her goal, and that she is happy to build her experience in Formula 4 series like the F1 Academy before moving up the ladder towards F1.

It may be early in her open wheel career, but if her progress continues at this rate, it will be hard not to imagine her as a contender for a feeder series career like the role currently filled by Andrea Kimi Antonelli, the star prospect promoted directly to Formula 2.

For now, Pin says she is still learning.

"It's a great series, a good car to learn about the technique."

"It's totally different… the long races are all about management; tyre management, fuel management, and here is pushing every lap."

"So learning technique, race craft, everything."

Watch every race of the F1 Academy season on Kayo Sports.