It’s been a relentless battle from the moment Doriane Pin and Maya Weug hit the track for the season opener in Shanghai, but now one final race will decide it all as their duel for the 2025 F1 ACADEMY title reaches its zenith.
Supported by two of motorsport’s most iconic names in Mercedes and Ferrari, neither has escaped the other on track or in the standings.
Initially five points in Pin’s favour after Round 1 in Shanghai, Weug staked her claim to P1 for the following two rounds, albeit by the tiny one-point margin post-Miami. Plagued by a technical issue, she found herself resigned to third, a gulf of 20 points splitting the pair.
Although Pin retained the standings lead she’s held since Round 4 in Montreal, the French racer has seen her advantage slashed down to nine points heading into the Las Vegas season finale, forcing the title to go down to the wire.
‘It’s the other ones behind that have to worry’
Dubbed the ‘Pocket Rocket’ earlier in her career, Pin’s nickname has proved apt throughout her journey in the all-female series.
Selected as a Mercedes junior after a success in GT and endurance racing – including becoming the first woman to win the FIA World Endurance Championship’s Revelation of the Year Award – she burst onto the scene with a victory on her debut in Jeddah last year. Setting herself up as Abbi Pulling’s closest rival for the title, she ultimately had to settle for second, 121 points adrift.
Continuing to drive with PREMA Racing, Pin remained a picture of consistency across this season, extending her streak of scoring points in every race of her F1 ACADEMY career. Three wins in Shanghai, Miami and Montreal alongside four further podiums have boosted the 21-year-old’s hopes, but at times the campaign has proved more challenging than expected, the absence of a pole position the only blot on her 2025 record.
As expectation and anticipation rises around Pin, her mentality remains unshakeable as she dreams of bringing home the title to the Silver Arrows.
“We are P1 so we’re the ones leading,” said Pin. “We are the ones who have to stay cool and do what we normally do. We don’t need to change anything or bring anything. We just have to be fast from Free Practice… and everything will come naturally, so I’m not very worried about that. It’s the other ones behind that have to worry!”
‘That’s something a lot of people wouldn’t have expected – not even Doriane’
Across the paddock, Maya Weug is dogged in her determination to propel the Prancing Horse to glory. Winning the 2020 Girls On Track – Rising Stars shootout and beating Pin in the process, Weug became the first female to join the Scuderia Ferrari Driver Academy.
Chosen to represent the Scuderia in F1 ACADEMY, the Dutch racer’s debut season saw her become a frequent podium finisher, but she was unable to mount any sort of title challenge – failing to achieve a win until the final race of 2024.
Switching from PREMA to compatriots MP Motorsport, Weug was back with a vengeance, dominating the first Qualifying of the season by almost half a second. Although she lost out to Pin in Race 2 in Shanghai, Weug netted a win on Grand Prix Sunday in Jeddah. However, a technical issue in Montreal led to a disastrous haul of only eight points across three races, compared to Pin’s 46, leaving Weug and many fans to contemplate whether her title fight was still on.
Fortunately, her outright speed and impressive overtakes have reignited the battle, with decisive pole positions and Race 2 victories in Zandvoort and Singapore, alongside four reverse grid podiums to the Mercedes driver’s one.
“It’s been a season of ups and downs,” summarised Weug. “The weekend in Montreal really put us on the back foot for the whole season. It was not what we needed and it has made our lives very difficult.
“We had a mega comeback in Zandvoort and Singapore to get ourselves within nine points. That’s something that I think a lot of people wouldn’t have expected – not even Doriane! I think from that side we can be very proud of ourselves and we will push until the end to win this title.”
She added: “It’s not the best position to be in, but in the end, we are in a strong position. We’re coming off a very strong last two races, so we have the momentum. We have the mentality to win. The momentum is the most important – we’ve been really quick and catching up a lot. We’re in a place where we can give it all because there is nothing to lose.”
More than just a title
Entering the final race weekend of their F1 ACADEMY careers on the edge of glory, both Pin and Weug have shown all the attributes of a champion, but only one can write her name into the record books.
“Winning the title would mean a lot,” said Pin. “It would be my first title in single-seaters and it would be the result of the hard work we put in behind the scenes. This project was thanks to Mercedes and Iron Dames – otherwise I wouldn’t be here. It would mean a lot for them and for myself. It would be an amazing achievement and great for my career.”
Weug added: “There has been a lot of work going on, a lot of stress and tough moments behind the scenes that not everyone knows of.
“Ferrari, the team, my family and everyone around me who has been supporting me this year really deserve it. I’m super grateful to have them by my side because even in the tough moments, it’s important to have those people around you.”
The series’ first visit to Las Vegas adds another layer of unpredictability to an already nail-biting weekend. As they force the fight down to a Race 2 showdown on Saturday afternoon, neither driver will be underestimating their rival as they battle it out one final time…
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