Doriane Pin, pilot of Prema Racing from France, reflects on her performance in Race 1 of the F1 Academy in Miami. She believes that her lack of speed and balance in the car prevented her from challenging Abbi Pulling. Pin acknowledges that track conditions improved from qualifying to the race, but the necessary pace was still missing. She expresses the need to continue working and finding the best setup for the next day.
Despite setting the fastest time in Free Practice 1, Pin was unable to surpass Pulling’s qualifying times and started both races from second position on the grid. Pulling, the current championship leader, comfortably won the 30-minute race, while Pin finished five seconds behind. Pin, who won the first two races of the season, is still in contention for the Drivers’ Championship, closely competing with Pulling, who inherited her position in the second race in Jeddah.
Pin speaks highly of her experience in the F1 Academy, especially during the first weekend in Jeddah, where she dominated the entire event. She emphasizes the value of being on the same page as the other drivers, as everyone learns and improves together. Pin finds it surreal to learn a new track and appreciates the opportunity to provide feedback to the team for future improvements.
Recently, Pin was announced as part of the Iron Dame team for her participation in the Alpine Formula Regional European Championship (FRECA). This new challenge excites her, and she expresses gratitude to Mercedes and the Iron Dames team for trusting her and providing this opportunity. Pin intends to make the most of this experience and acquire as much knowledge as possible.
However, due to her busy schedule with FRECA and F1 Academy, Pin will miss the last four rounds of the World Endurance Championship (WEC). Looking ahead, she is focusing on Race 2, where she will start on the front row behind the Alpine Junior Driver.