‘No matter what, we have to be there all the time’ – Pin going all out to deliver title-guaranteeing victory in Las Vegas

Doriane Pin put one hand on the 2025 F1 ACADEMY title after a frenetic Race 1 in Las Vegas saw benefit from rival Maya Weug’s misfortune and make her own luck when she had to.

A dramatic evening saw her go from P5 to P2 before the first racing laps around the slippery Las Vegas strip. During the formation laps, second-place Emma Felbermayr suffered a clutch issue which forced her into the pits for repairs.

At the same time just up ahead of Pin, contact between Tina Hausmann and Weug eliminated the pair. Fending off pressure from Chloe Chambers early on, the Mercedes driver then made a risky but calculated move on Nina Gademan to take the lead and deliver her fourth win of the season.

“Just incredible,” she began. “What a race! So difficult, very easy to do a small mistake with big consequences. Very happy to be there and to be competitive when we have to because we are leading the Standings.

“We know that in the reverse grid, it’s sometimes a bit spicy, but we were smart. We were aggressive when we had to be when we were fighting for the lead. The pace was there on a track that was very damp and nobody knew the track in these conditions.”

Despite the conditions catching out several of her rivals, Pin refused to play it cautious. On Lap 9, she took advantage of the slipstream to breeze past down the Strip, completing the pass before the braking zone.

“If you don’t take risks, the pace is not there,” explained Pin. “The risk was there, I was pushing. I knew that in terms of the fight we had to be smart because it’s easy to have contact.

“I guess I had the right mindset in that because I was not thinking about keeping cool and very easy. I was right in a good window being aggressive when we can. The risk is there when we have those conditions on a street track. No matter what, we have to be there all the time.”

READ MORE: RACE 1: Pin secures victory in dramatic Las Vegas race as title rival Weug crashes out

Whilst PREMA Racing have wrapped up the Teams’ title, Pin’s work isn’t over yet. Her 20-point advantage over Weug means if the Mercedes driver finishes sixth or higher, she’s guaranteed the title, even if her rival wins Race 2.

Lining up in P4 with Weug right behind her, Pin’s competitive spirit remains as relentless as ever as she looks to score the final win of the season and take the title along with it.

“We know that we have the pace in the dry or in the wet as well,” she said. “We have to keep focused. We are doing a good job, we are smart and we are there, so hopefully going to go for another win tomorrow because I love winning!

“I’m fully focusing on what the opportunities are ahead and then take it smartly, let’s see afterwards.”