After yesterday’s impressive Race 1 win, Doriane Pin has made a perfect start to the 2024 F1 Academy season with another victory in Race 2 here in Saudi Arabia. It was a repeat podium trio, as Alpine’s Abbi Pulling came second (+1.430) followed by Ferrari’s Maya Weug (+4.664) at the Jeddah Cornice Circuit.
Pin had a good start from pole position where she led away from Pulling and Weug in second and third respectively. Nerea Martí also had an impressive start, taking fourth place from Lola Lovinfosse heading into Turn One.
Lovinfosse’s slow start cost the Charlotte Tilbury backed driver as Chloe Chambers took advantage at Turn Eight, switching their places around after going side-by-side at previous corners. This battle continued while Jessica Edgar closed on them.
Close Contact
On lap 3, Lovinfosse regained fifth place. Chambers missed her braking point to hit Lovinfosse sending her into a spin. Lovinfosse attempted to save her race by rejoining but made contact with Williams’ Lia Block. The safety car was deployed while Block pitted.
Block continued with a new front wing. Unfortunately for Lovinfosse, her race was over as she was forced to retire to the pits due to the damage sustained. She has been issued a five-place grid drop for the next race for causing the incident.
The race soon resumed which saw Pulling attempt to move in on Pin for the race lead. Pin held on.
Closing Laps
Wild Card entry Reema Juffali did not have the weekend she hoped for. The safety car was brought out again on Lap 6 to clear her car after the Prema-backed driver found the wall at the outside of turn two as she tried to avoid Carrie Schreiner who had been sent into a spin at turn one.
With four laps to go, we continued racing. While Martí attacked Weug for third place at the restart, Pulling tried for first. Neither driver succeeded, settling for fourth and second.
Once again Pin and Pulling excelled at their pace to go for the fastest lap. It came close, with Pin taking it on the final lap to create the perfect drive.
Along with Lovinfosse and Juffali, PUMA’s Aurelia Nobels retired from the race due to rear wing damage. Block’s recovery race saw her finish 11th with a five-second penalty for speeding in the pit lane.
Controversy for the Pocket Rocket
Pin, dubbed the Pocket Rocket by fans, however, is facing an investigation. It appears the Mercedes junior missed the chequered flag at the end of the race while her engineers were celebrating her win. She carried on at full speed, racing herself, and took the chequered flag twice.
Speaking at the Winners Conference, Pin said ‘I had a little bit of an issue with the radio. I couldn’t hear anything by the engineers so I didn’t know if it was the last lap or not. I kept pushing in case it was.’
F1 Academy Saudi Arabia Race 2
- Doriane Pin (Prema – Mercedes)
- Abbi Pulling (Rodin Motorsport – Alpine)
- Maya Weug (Prema – Ferrari)
- Nerea Martí (Campos – Tommy Hilfiger)
- Jessica Edgar (Rodin Motorsport)
- Amna Al Qubaisi (MP – Visa Cash App RB)
- Hamda Al Qubaisi (MP – Red Bull Racing)
- Bianca Bustamante (ART – McLaren)
- Carrie Schreiner (Campos – Kick Sauber)
- Chloe Chambers (Campos – Haas)
- Lia Block (ART – Williams)
- Emely de Heus (MP – Red Bull Ford)
- Tina Hausmann (Prema – Aston Martin)
- Aurelia Nobels (ART – PUMA) DNF
- Reema Juffali (Prema – Wildcard Entry) DNF
- Lola Lovinfosse (Rodin Motorsport – Charlotte Tilbury) DNF
Championship Standings
- Pin 55
- Pulling 37
- Weug 30
- Bustamante 14
- Chambers 13
- Marti 12
- Edgar 10
- A Al Qubaisi 8
- Hausmann 8
- H Al Qubaisi 8
Round 2 of F1 Academy takes place in Miami, 3-5 May.
Featured Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images