From the first time she sat in a kart, aged 9, Doriane Pin has wanted to race in Formula 1. F1 ACADEMY champion, Mercedes Development Driver, poised to drive an F1 car for the first time - Doriane is getting closer and closer to that dream.

Doriane tells Tom Clarkson her racing story so far, from feeling like a 'superhero' in her kart, to seeking sponsors at the age of 11, taking on the Le Mans 24 hours, and being spotted by the Mercedes Junior Programme.

In F1 ACADEMY, Doriane switched to racing open wheel cars on Grand Prix circuits, supported by Mercedes teammates Lewis Hamilton, George Russell and Kimi Antonelli. Susie Wolff's advice helped her score points in every race, and become champion at the end of her second season.

Now Doriane is Development Driver for Mercedes and is preparing for a first F1 test. Her dream remains the same: a seat on the Grand Prix grid.

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<div>
From the first time she sat in a kart, aged 9, Doriane Pin has wanted to race in Formula 1. F1 ACADEMY champion, Mercedes Development Driver, poised to drive an F1 car for the first time - Doriane is getting closer and closer to that dream.Doriane tells Tom Clarkson her racing story so far, from feeling like a 'superhero' in her kart, to seeking sponsors at the age of 11, taking on the Le Mans 24 hours, and being spotted by the Mercedes Junior Programme.In F1 ACADEMY, Doriane switched to racing open wheel cars on Grand Prix circuits, supported by Mercedes teammates Lewis Hamilton, George Russell and Kimi Antonelli. Susie Wolff's advice helped her score points in every race, and become champion at the end of her second season.Now Doriane is Development Driver for Mercedes and is preparing for a first F1 test. Her dream remains the same: a seat on the Grand Prix grid.Follow F1 ACADEMY in 2026</div><ul>
<li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@f1academy">Race highlights on YouTube</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.f1academy.com/">Latest news on f1academy.com</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/f1academy/">Updates on instagram</a></li>
</ul><div>
Listen to more official F1 podcasts F1 Nation for expert race reviews and previews F1 Explains to learn how Formula 1 works   <a href="https://www.podfollow.com/f1-nation">Listen here</a>This episode is sponsored by Vanta <a href="https://www.vanta.com/grid">Game-changing security and compliance for your business. Get started at vanta.com/grid</a>   Shopify <a href="https://www.shopify.com/beyondthegrid">Start your business with a $1 per month trial at shopify.com/beyondthegrid</a></div>

Formula 1's fastest stars slow down for in-depth interviews. Tom Clarkson brings you revealing, feature-length conversations with drivers, team bosses, engineering experts and F1 legends.

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An official Formula 1 podcast. For race reviews + previews, listen to F1 Nation. To learn more about how F1 works, listen to F1 Explains