F1Weekly Podcast # 1144

ON TODAYS PROGRAM…

DOMINICALI NOW LISTENING TO MAX!
RED BULL LOOSING TALENT FASTER THAN YOU CAN SHAKE A STICK!
WILL MIAMI BRING MORE GRID CHANGES…
TALK OF NEW ENGINE PROPOSALS COULD TAKE US BACK TO V8’S FAIRLY QUICKLY! AND…
FERNANDO SAYS…I AM A PATIENT MAN!!

TOYOTA BEATS FERRARI AT THE 6 HOURS OF IMOLA!

Race car driver Juha Miettinen (66) has passed away following the severe crash on the Nordschleife. The race understandably  did not continue. 
Deepest condolences to his family and friends.THIS WEEK’S NASIR HAMEED CORNER WE HAVE: JEAN ERIC VERGNE, ESTEBAN GUTIERREZ...

F1 Academy Champion Doriane Pin Breaks New Ground with Maiden F1 Test

Doriane Pin has taken the latest, and one of the most significant, steps in her career by completing her maiden F1 test yesterday (Friday April 17) at Silverstone. The Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team Development Driver drove the world-championship winning W12 from the 2021 season and impressed with her pace, feedback, and technical understanding.

The 22-year-old completed 76 laps of the 2.639 km Silverstone National Circuit for a total of 200 km of running on the day.

Driving an F1 car for the first time today was unreal.

“Driving an F1 car for the first time today was unreal. I am very grateful to have been given this opportunity and to be surrounded by this incredible team. It was a unique opportunity and I made sure to enjoy my day to the fullest, along with doing the best job I could. Whilst being a female driver doesn’t define me, it was great to show what we can do. It was an extremely emotional day and I’m also thankful I was able to share this experience with my family.

“The W12 is obviously really different from the other cars I’ve been able to drive. Everything is different, bigger and more powerful. I am glad I was able to build confidence lap after lap and show what I was capable of.”

Her preparation and professionalism has impressed the whole team and she should be really proud of what she has achieved.

In preparation for the test, the affectionally named ‘Pocket Rocket’ spent extensive time in the team’s simulator, integrating closely with engineers and refining her understanding of the necessary procedures to drive the W12.

Andrew Shovlin, Trackside Engineering Director, commented: “It's been great to have Doriane complete a day of testing with the W12 today. It marks another major step on what is proving to be a very exciting and promising career and also makes her the first ever female driver of a Mercedes F1 car.

“Her preparation and professionalism has impressed the whole team and she should be really proud of what she has achieved. Whatever series you come from, it is always a massive step when getting into an F1 car but she looked at home from the very first laps and was able to enjoy driving the car on the limit.”

Today, it is even more unique as Doriane is the first ever woman to drive a Mercedes F1 car.

Gwen Lagrue, Driver Development Advisor, said: “It is always really special for a young driver to drive an F1 car for the very first time. Today, it is even more unique as Doriane is the first ever woman to drive a Mercedes F1 car.

“We are very proud to show to the next generation of female drivers that driving an F1 car is achievable. I am sure we will see a woman driving in F1 in the coming years and as a team, we would be incredibly proud if we were to achieve that goal with someone in our team. Doriane can certainly act as an inspiration for those following in her wheel tracks as she continues her career and role as Development Driver with our team.”

Doriane becomes the latest female talent to get behind-the-wheel of a modern F1 car, highlighting the value of series such as F1 Academy, in which Doriane became last year’s champion. The test also underlines the team’s continued commitment to nurturing talent and opening pathways, while showcasing the progress being made in creating meaningful opportunities for women at the highest level of motorsport.

Doriane’s assured performance on such a significant stage further highlights the impact of the team’s long-term investment in her growth. She will now continue in her Development Driver duties, which include simulator development, additional activities at the factory and trackside, attendance at several Grands Prix and her support and mentorship to the team’s 2026 F1 Academy driver, Payton Westcott.

Quick Pit Work, Pace Help Palou Run Away to Win at Long Beach!

LONG BEACH, Calif. (Sunday, April 19, 2026) – Alex Palou got the break he needed and fast work from his Chip Ganassi Racing pit crew, and then he ran away with a victory Sunday in the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach.

Palou earned his third victory in five races this season, the 22nd victory of his career and his first win at prestigious Long Beach in the No. 10 OpenAI Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, beating the No. 60 SiriusXM/Acura Honda of NTT P1 Award winner Felix Rosenqvist to the finish by 3.9663 seconds. Palou also took the series lead by 17 points over Kyle Kirkwood as he aims for his fifth series championship and series record-tying fourth in a row.

“It’s huge,” Palou said. “Super proud of everybody’s job but especially this crew. Incredible to finally win here at Long Beach.”

Six-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion Scott Dixon rounded out the podium with his best result of the season in the No. 9 PNC Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, as CGR produced two of the top three finishers.

Kirkwood finished fourth in the No. 27 JM Bullion / Gold.com Honda of Andretti Global, with Pato O’Ward placing fifth in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet.

Pole sitter Rosenqvist controlled the race from the green flag. He led the first 31 laps, with Palou climbing from his third starting spot to second by passing O’Ward on Lap 2. Rosenqvist and Palou pitted for the first time in tandem at the end of Lap 31, with the MSR crew helping Rosenqvist win the race out of the pits after both drivers started their second fuel stint with their mandatory second set of Firestone alternate tires.

Rosenqvist had built a three-second lead over Palou, who admitted he struggled a bit on the softer Firestone alternate tire. But Palou got the break he needed on Lap 57 when a large piece of debris was spotted on track, triggering the only caution period of the 90-lap race.

The entire field pitted on Lap 59, led by Rosenqvist and Palou as a showdown loomed between the MSR and CGR crews. Rosenqvist and Palou each took four primary Firestone tires and fuel on their last stop, but Palou escaped his pit box ahead of Rosenqvist to take the lead for the first time. CGR serviced Palou’s car in 7.3 seconds on the final stop, while MSR needed 8.4 seconds for Rosenqvist’s stop.

Palou rocketed away from the field on the restart on Lap 61. It was checkout time, as he never trailed from that point.

“The OpenAI car was super, super fast, but it was that yellow, that pit stop with all the pressure that these boys were able to do it and execute it perfectly,” Palou said. “From there, it was just managing the tires. We didn’t know how the primaries were going to be.”

The primary tire suited Palou just fine. The Spaniard expanded his lead to 2.4 seconds on Lap 68, with the gap mushrooming to 5.5 seconds with 12 laps remaining. Palou played it safe during the final two trips around the 11-turn, 1.968-mile temporary street circuit, but Rosenqvist never got close. Still, the Swede, who led a race-high 51 laps, earned his first podium finish since placing second in June 2025 at Road America.

“A little bit of a bittersweet race,” Rosenqvist said. “I lost a little bit on the stop. Alex is obviously going to be 10 out of 10 almost every stop, so I don’t think it was necessarily that our one was slow, but they probably had a great one, as well. That’s how it goes.

“At the end of the day, we’ve got to celebrate this one. P2, plus the points and podium – that’s where I want to be.”