Doriane Pin wins F1 Academy Race 2 during the 2025 Chinese Grand Prix. In a thrilling season opener, the Mercedes Driver kicked off her 2025 campaign in style.
Before the race began, there was already on-track drama. An oil spill earlier in the day meant there was dust along the right side of the starting grid to clean up the mess. Because of this, there was a delayed start to proceedings. Additionally, the race would begin with a rolling start, as it would be unfair for drivers to start on the right side of the grid.
Whilst the grid waited to get away for the two formation laps, PREMA emphasised the importance of teammates to Aston Martin-backed driver Tina Hausmann. With Hausmann and Gademan starting alongside each other for Race 2.
“Work with Nina, she is your teammate not your enemy. We need to get ahead of some girls”
The Safety Car takes the girls around for the start of the race. Whilst going around, Chambers has described the track as “slippery and dusty” despite already having two formation laps. In turn, the Safety Car takes the field around for one more lap in neutralised conditions.
Rolling Start for Race 2
The Safety Car has finally pulled into the pit lane after three formation laps. Maya Weug holds back the field as they go into the final turns. Starting alongside her rival from last season, Doriane Pin, Weug was eager to pull away immediately.
As the lights go green, Weug is immediately under pressure from the French driver; the Ferrari driver manages to defend against her ex-teammate for the first turn. However, by the time the field heads into Turn 3, Pin manages to get ahead of Weug. Not without some minor front wing-to-rear tyre contact between the pair. The contact is minimal, and both drivers continue in the race.
Teammate Chaos
After a few clean turns, Gademan and Hausmann made contact with one another going into turn 8. Gademn was ahead, and Hausmann was attempting to defend against rookie Ciconte. In an unfortunate situation, the Aston Martin driver spun around herself and her teammate. Much to the dismay of the PREMA team, who explicitly said pre-race to “work with your teammate.”
The Dutch driver was rather unimpressed with this collision, believing,” She tried to take me out”. Further, she emphasised that Hausmann was “very far behind”, and it would be “pretty hard to hit her.”
The stewards agreed with Gademan, awarding her teammate a 10-second time penalty for causing a collision.
This incident between teammates, in turn, caused several other incidents, resulting in three DNFs.
After a difficult day with penalties yesterday, Joanne Ciconte’s bad weekend got worse. As Charlotte Tilbury-backed driver Chloe Chong made contact with the Aussie whose car ended up in the grass. A frustrating situation for the young driver means she will not continue further in this race.
Chloe Chong was also given another 10-second penalty for causing a collision. Adding to a difficult weekend for the returning F1 Academy driver.
The safety car was brought out after a Turn 8 collision between Nobels and Havrda. This incident occurred as both drivers tried to avoid contact between the PREMA duo. Both drivers have had incredibly difficult weekends, not seeing the chequered flag for either race this weekend.
Safety Car comes in
Doriane backs up the field, with Weug behind her, urgent to get past her ex-teammate and reclaim P1. The Mercedes driver manages to hold off her Ferrari rival behind and pull away from the field. Seeing an over one-second gap by the end of the lap.
Chloe Chambers, yesterday’s second-place driver, is challenging rookie Alba Larsen for third. The American is utilising her F1 Academy experience against the rookie. Going into the second last turn, Chambers attempts an overtake on the Tommy Hilfiger driver.
Lia Block manages to move into the points, overtaking his teammate Courtney Crone. Unfortunately for the Haas-backed driver, she is overtaken by Gademan and Chong as well.
Elsewhere at turn 14, Chloe Chambers goes down the inside and almost gets the overtake done. However, a lock-up into the turn saw Chambers lose the position back to Larsen.
Rookie Emma Felbermayr gets past yesterday’s race winner, Alisha Palmowski. Both drivers continue to have an aggressive battle until the chequered flag. With the Red Bull-backed driver making rear contact with the Sauber in front of her. Contact that will be under investigation following the races completion.
Closing stages
Rafaela Ferreira had a difficult start to the weekend. Facing a three-place grid drop for both races after a free practice collision. The Brazilian managed to move up from sixteenth on the grid to eighth. A brilliant drive for the VCARB driver has helped Campos lead the constructors championship early in the season.
After an intense battle between the pair, Chloe Chambers manages to “FINALLY” get past Larsen. With this overtake, Chambers secures back-to-back podiums this weekend. Starting off her 2025 campaign in style.
Weug is disappointed with the second-place finish. Stated that post-race, she doesn’t know where all the pace went in that race. However, with a lot more weekends ahead, the Ferrari-backed driver will definitely continue her championship challenge.
Doriane Pin manages to hold off the field behind her and claim her first victory of 2025. Maya Weug comes in behind her, securing a double podium in the first race of the season.
