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Mercedes’ Doriane Pin has lost a victory in the F1 Academy season opener in Saudi Arabia after failing to realise the race was over and completing another lap once the chequered flag had been raised.
French racer Pin won both races at Jeddah Corniche Circuit, only for a mishap in Saturday’s second event to see her drop to ninth and Alpine’s Abbi Pulling promoted to winner.
Pin went full pelt on what was the cooldown lap, with the red flag needing to be shown to stop her.
Race Control imposed a drive-through penalty post-race which was turned into a 20-second time penalty, resulting in Pin dropping down the standings and Briton Pulling, who finished second, elevated.
Ferrari’s Maya Weug was promoted to second and Tommy Hilfiger driver Nerea Martí up to third.
Speaking to Pulling and Weug before heading to the podium, Pin said she encountered a radio issue when her race engineer asked: “Doriane, what are you doing? It’s the chequered flag.”
In the moment, she responded: “You didn’t tell me!”
Sky Sports F1’s Damon Hill was critical of the decision, writing on social media platform X: “Maybe they should indicate the end of the race with lights too, instead of just waving a flag about 20ft up in a blind spot. Maybe? I’m not an expert. Oh! Yes I am!”
Pin is now third in the championship standings, behind Pulling and Maya Weug
Pulling leaves Saudi Arabia as the early championship leader, with Weug second and Pin third.
The F1 Academy continues in May as part of F1’s Miami Grand Prix race weekend before heading to Barcelona, Zandvoort in the Netherlands, Singapore, Qatar and Abu Dhabi.
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