SUSIE WOLFF SENDS HEARTFELT MESSAGE TO DORIANE PIN FOR MERCEDES F1 TEST

Susie Wolff sent Doriane Pin an emotional message before the French driver made history by becoming the first woman to test a Mercedes F1 car

Doriane Pin, PREMA Racing, Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team CEO and Team Principal Toto Wolff, F1 Academy Managing Director Susie Wolff

Photo by: Kym Illman / Getty Images

F1 Academy managing director Susie Wolff sent a heartfelt message to Doriane Pin ahead of her Formula 1 test with Mercedes at Silverstone. 

The 22-year-old driver got behind the wheel of the Mercedes W12, which was driven by Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas in their 2021 campaign, at Silverstone. She became the first female driver to test a Mercedes F1 car.

Wolff, who was the last woman to participate in an F1 race weekend when she took part in a free practice session with Williams in 2014, sent a message to the 2025 F1 Academy champion ahead of her test. 

"Doriane, our F1 Academy champion. Your first Formula 1 test. What a special day," Wolff said in a personal message to Pin. "It won't be until you're strapped in and they start up that engine that it will all become real. You'll get out onto the track at Silverstone. You won't believe how fast that car can go in a straight line.

"The Maggotts-Becketts section, what a brilliant corner section to drive in an F1 car. I know, like I was, you'll be super keen to post a quick lap time to show everybody what you're capable of. But build up to it, trust and listen to the engineers around you. They'll be guiding you on the day and enjoy every minute.

 "We'll be rooting for you from a distance. We're proud of you, good luck."

When asked how it made her feel, Pin responded: "Very nice of Susie. Obviously, I've met incredible people thanks to F1 Academy and being with Mercedes, working with them for so many years.

"I've learned so much and I'm so happy to be driving a Formula 1 car for the first time together. She is an inspiration for all and she also drove a Formula 1 car for testing in Silverstone as well."

- Lydia Mee

F1 ACADEMY 2025: LAS VEGAS TO DECIDE DRIVERS' CHAMPIONSHIP BETWEEN DORIANE PIN AND MAYA WEUNG

F1 Academy

Doriane Pin and Maya Weug are set for a thrilling battle in the final round of the F1 Academy season; Las Vegas will host two races with Qualifying on Friday at 5.30am, Saturday’s reverse grid race at 4.15am and the main race on Sunday from 2.15am – all live on Sky Sports F1

The 2025 F1 Academy titles will be decided this weekend in Las Vegas with full focus on Doriane Pin and Maya Weug battling it out for the Drivers’ Championship.

What is the championship situation?

Pin leads Weug by just nine points in the closest title fight since the series began in 2023, so it promises to be a dramatic final two races alongside the F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix action.

"We are leading the series so that means we are the best ones, right? We keep it going until the end," said Pin.

 "Weug added: "[My mindset is] the same as Singapore, same as Zandvoort. We have to go for the win. We still have nine points left, so step by step we will get there."

In behind the top two, Britain's Ella Lloyd and USA's Chloe Chambers are split by just two points in the fight for third in the Drivers' Championship.

 

In the Teams' Championship, Prema Racing are on course for a third straight title as they carry a 49-point advantage over MP Motorsport into Las Vegas.

Championship leader Pin drives for Prema alongside her two team-mates Nina Gademan and Tina Hausmann, so it could be double success for the Italian outfit this weekend.

F1 Academy format and points system

A maximum of 39 points can be won over a race weekend by a single driver. There will be just one practice session for the drivers to get up to speed on the high-speed Las Vegas street circuit, before heading into Qualifying at 5.30am on Friday morning UK time.

Two points are awarded for pole position and one point is given for the fastest lap in each race, if you finish in the top eight for Race 1, or top 10 for Race 2.

Saturday's reverse grid race at 4.15am will have fewer points on offer, so only the top eight will score points: 10-8-6-5-4-3-2-1.

The main race on Sunday at 2.15am, where the Drivers' Championship will be won, will use the same points system as F1, so the top 10 will score points: 25-18-15-12-10-8-6-4-2-1.

The title race story so far

A thrilling third season of F1 Academy has seen eight different winners from 12 races ahead of the Las Vegas finale.

Pin won the main race in Shanghai to end the opening weekend as the championship leader but a second place and victory in Jeddah gave Weug the lead after two events.

In Miami, Pin stuck back with a superb performance from sixth then torrential rain cancelled the main race, meaning there were three races in Montreal.

And the weekend in Canada produced huge drama with several collisions and incidents. Amid the chaos, Weug suffered electrical issues so failed to score points in two of the races and only finished sixth in the other.

Pin took the championship lead and Chloe Chambers was now a title protagonist following her main race victory.

On home soil at Zandvoort, Weug began to mount a championship comeback from 36 points adrift with pole position, a dominant main race win and third in the reverse grid race.

The Dutch driver continued her great form into Singapore with second in the reverse grid race and a third win of the season after a last-lap overtake on Pin in mixed conditions, meaning Pin leads Weug by just nine points ahead of Las Vegas.

Sky Sports F1's Las Vegas GP Schedule

Thursday November 20

2am: Drivers' Press Conference

5am: Paddock Uncut

Friday November 21

12am: Las Vegas GP Practice One (session starts at 12.30am)*

1.55am: F1 Academy Practice*

2.50am: Team Principals' Press Conference

3.45am: Las Vegas GP Practice Two (session starts at 4am)*

5.25am: F1 Academy Qualifying*

6.10am: The F1 Show*

 Saturday November 22

12.15am: Las Vegas GP Practice Three (session starts at 12.30am)*

2.10am: F1 Academy Race One*

3am: Las Vegas GP Qualifying build-up*

4am: LAS VEGAS GP QUALIFYING*

6am: Ted's Qualifying Notebook*

Sunday November 23

12.15am: F1 Academy Race Two

2.30am: Grand Prix Sunday: Las Vegas GP build-up*

4am: THE LAS VEGAS GRAND PRIX*

6am: Chequered Flag: Las Vegas GP reaction*

7am: Ted's Notebook*

*also live on Sky Sports Main Event"

 - Nigel Chiu