F1
Doriane Pin, Mercedes F1 development driver: "To show that there is potential and that I belong at the highest level"
© Mercedes
Doriane, congratulations. How did this appointment to this new position come about?
We had already discussed this with Mercedes Benz at the end of the championship F1 Academy last year. We started thinking about what we were going to plan together. I then got into the simulator for the first time in early December, the day after the Abu Dhabi GP. It went very well, it was very positive, thanks to a lot of work all day with the engineers. Then there was
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Ben
01/02/2026 at 02:36 a.m.
The problem is that Doriane Pin simply doesn't belong at the highest level. Her maximum potential is in FRECA, and even then, only if she improves her tire management. Let's also remember that her undeniably impressive performances in the WEC were aided by her significantly lighter weight compared to her teammates. Finally, thanks to her well-established contacts within the paddock, her star-like attitude isn't exactly appreciated at Mercedes.
Yves-Henri RANDIER
27/01/2026 at 06:17 a.m.
Good for "Pocket Rocket," but what exactly is the purpose of a development driver in an F1 team today, especially when they're only the fourth driver after the reserve driver who already gets very little racing time? Vandoorne could easily answer that, given his real experience as an F1 driver. But in this case, with his limited single-seater history, isn't this primarily an excellent PR move by Mercedes?