Could Doriane Pin be the Next Woman in Formula 1? And Why Engineering Matters More Than Ever
18th December 2025
Motorsport has always captured the imagination, combining cutting-edge technology with human daring. Yet at the very pinnacle of the sport, Formula 1, there hasn’t been a female driver to complete the grid since Lella Lombardi’s remarkable stint in the mid-1970s; a period when cars were far less sophisticated but perhaps even more demanding of raw bravery and technical insight.
Today, French driver Doriane Pin is at the forefront of change. In 2025 she was crowned F1 Academy champion, after a season of thrilling racing and formidable consistency that saw her finish as title winner even before the Las Vegas finale concluded. Backed by the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team and representing PREMA Racing in the all-female F1 Academy series, Pin has rapidly become one of the most talked-about young talents in single-seater motorsport.
What makes Pin’s story so inspiring (beyond the trophies and podiums, of course) is her potential to challenge long-standing barriers. With Mercedes’ support and her own steely determination, she’s now firmly positioned as one of the women aiming to be the first to start a Formula 1 Grand Prix in almost 50 years. F1 Academy was created to accelerate that very possibility: to give women real, competitive seat time in powerful racing cars, with the training, mentorship and visibility required to attract key Formula 1 teams and sponsors.
But the story of women in racing isn’t just about who’s behind the wheel. Motorsport at every level increasingly depends on brilliant engineering – the design of cars, the innovation of materials and the precision of manufacturing. This is where the parallels with the engineering sector become especially important.
At MAT Foundry, we’ve long been advocates for women in engineering.
From our leadership and our research labs to the factory floor and beyond, we know that innovation thrives when diverse perspectives are encouraged and supported. Our initiatives are designed to build that future, by encouraging more women to pursue STEM careers, building inclusive workplaces, and by providing pathways into advanced roles across the automotive and materials sectors. You can read more about our commitment to women in engineering here.
The same principle holds true in motorsport. Behind every driver like Doriane Pin is a team of engineers, data analysts and technicians, many of whom are women breaking new ground in what has been a male-dominated industry. The cars that race around iconic circuits are the result of hundreds of thousands of hours of design, simulation, testing and refinement.
So as fans watch the next generation of women take to the track, it’s also a moment to reflect on the engineering that makes their success possible, as well as the importance of creating careers that support their ascent. Whether it’s in aerodynamics, materials science, powertrain development or digital systems, the skills that drive success in motorsport are the same skills that help industries to pioneer and grow.
Doriane Pin’s journey to the top tiers of racing captures the imagination. But behind her acceleration on track is a wider story of opportunity, ambition and the vital role of engineering excellence. This at the core to who we are at MAT Foundry.
It’s time to champion the next generation of women, on the grid and in the workshop.