French racing driver Doriane Pin became the first woman to pilot a Mercedes-Petronas Formula One Team car during a test in September 2024 [3].
The event marks a significant shift in the gender landscape of elite motorsport, demonstrating a pathway for female drivers to access current-specification machinery. By breaking this barrier at one of the sport's most successful teams, Pin establishes a precedent for future women aiming for the F1 grid.
Susie Wolff, the managing director of the F1 Academy, said the event was a historic milestone. The test took place at the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team's facility in Brackley, UK [2].
"It was a big moment when Doriane Pin drove an F1 car for the first time," Wolff said [1].
Pin, who was 22 [1] at the time of the test, navigated the complex machinery as part of a broader effort to increase diversity within the sport. The drive served as a practical demonstration of the talent emerging from female-focused racing initiatives.
Wolff said the achievement reflects the broader progress being made toward gender equality in racing. The integration of female drivers into high-performance testing is a key goal for the F1 Academy and its partners.
"It's another testaments to say that we're on the right track," Wolff said [1].
The milestone is the first time a woman has operated a current-spec Mercedes F1 car [2]. This development follows years of efforts by the F1 Academy to identify and cultivate young female talent for the highest levels of open-wheel racing.
“"It was a big moment when Doriane Pin drove an F1 car for the first time."”
This event signals a transition from theoretical support for women in racing to tangible operational integration. By allowing a female driver to pilot a current-specification car, Mercedes-AMG Petronas is validating the competitive viability of F1 Academy prospects and challenging the traditional male exclusivity of the sport's top-tier technical tests.
