[Saba Sports News] At Silverstone Circuit, Mercedes has completed a test of symbolic significance. French driver Doriane Pin completed around 200 kilometers in the W12 car, becoming the first female driver to actually drive a Mercedes Formula 1 machine.
This test formed part of a legacy car program and was an important arrangement for the team between the Japanese Grand Prix and the Miami Grand Prix. Doriane Pin currently serves as a development driver for Mercedes and has been part of the team’s junior programme for the past two seasons. She represented the team in the F1 Academy series in 2025 and claimed the championship title, gradually advancing into a higher-level development plan.
During the test, she completed a total of 76 laps, gradually familiarizing herself with the 2021-spec F1 car. On the day of the test, George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli were also present to witness the moment. After finishing the test, Doriane Pin said that driving an F1 car for the first time was completely different from all her previous racing experiences. The car presented greater challenges in terms of speed, size and power delivery, but as she completed more laps, she gradually built confidence and achieved the set test targets.
In my opinion, with the improvement of junior programmes and the development of platforms such as F1 Academy, the possibility of female drivers reaching F1 race weekends is increasing.Judging from the current trend, this historic breakthrough may only be the beginning.