New Mercedes driver announced after success at wheel of rivals

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New Mercedes driver announced after success at wheel of rivals

The young driver will get their chance to impress

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Tuesday 16 January 2024 12:27

Young French driver Doriane Pin has joined the PREMA Racing team for the 2024 F1 Academy season, also becoming a member of Mercedes F1's young driver programme.

The 20-year-old won the 2022 Ferrari Challenge Europe series, before driving for PREMA in the World Endurance Championship in 2023, where she raced in the LMP2 class and secured a podium at Sebring.

Now, she will take her spot on the F1 Academy grid, partnering Swiss driver Tina Hausmann.

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F1 Academy enters its second season in 2024 after the success of the inaugural season of the all-female series last year, which was won by Spanish driver Marta Garcia.

It attempts to give female racers an opportunity in single-seater racing, emphasised by Garcia's fully-funded seat in the Formula Regional European Championship for 2024.

Doriane Pin is joining up with the PREMA Racing team in F1 Academy

Marta Garcia won the inaugural season of the F1 Academy series

Pin's Mercedes dream

Speaking to the team's official website, Pin revealed her excitement at becoming a part of the action in 2024.

“I am incredibly happy to join the Mercedes-AMG F1 Team Junior Programme and represent Mercedes in the PREMA Team for F1 Academy this year," she said.

"A new chapter begins, and I am proud to make this next step in such a prestigious team and with the Iron Dames project. I am grateful for their trust and honoured to race for their colours.

"Moving into single seater was a clear objective for my career, and to be in this environment is a great approach. I am working very hard to reach the top level of this sport and I cannot wait to go racing.”

Prema team principal Rene Rosin said on the arrival of Pin: "We are absolutely thrilled to support Doriane's 2024 challenge.

"We were really impressed by her in our WEC campaign together and we are definitely looking forward to seeing her make even more progress in single-seaters.

"We think she has outstanding potential and that, with the support of the Mercedes-AMG F1 Team Junior Programme, she will be able to fully use it to continue making strides in F1 Academy too."

Stefano Domenicali F1 Academy Susie Wolff World Endurance Championship Doriane Pin Marta Garcia