'We nailed it' - Pin thrilled to cap off Shanghai weekend with dominant Race 2 victory

Doriane Pin made a huge statement of intent as she brought home an assured win in Race 2 and rose to the top of the Drivers’ Standings.

Snatching the lead away from pole-sitter Maya Weug on the rolling start, the Mercedes driver controlled the race from thereon out, steadily building up a substantial two-second advantage.

With 26 points in the bag for the victory and the fastest lap, Pin stressed the importance of delivering on Grand Prix Sunday given the points distribution this season.

“I’m feeling amazing!” she exclaimed after hopping out of the car. “I’m really happy about this achievement. We put everything together, but we also aimed for this victory at the end of the weekend because we know it was the race where we score most of the points and we did it.

“It was important to do pole position but I think it’s more important to win this race today. I hope in Jeddah we will get pole and the win, but really happy about this achievement. I think we did a good strategy with the team and the team did a great job as well, so happy to finish on a high in China.”

Leaving one fresh set of tyres available after Qualifying gave Pin an advantage over Weug, but degradation meant she couldn’t afford to wait around to capitalise on it.

“The aim was to overtake at the beginning of the race,” the 21-year-old explained. “We knew that for new tyres the peak is at the beginning, but it’s also a compromise. Yesterday we struggled a bit, we didn’t have any new tyres on the car.

READ MORE: RACE 2: Pin charges to dominant victory in Shanghai ahead of Weug

“We struggled at the end of the race, but reverse grid is less points so we knew we had to stay out of trouble and put the car in front. But today is the most important, we got 25 points and the point for the fastest lap — we nailed it.”

Pin now carries a five-point lead over Weug in the Drivers’ Standings into the next race weekend in Jeddah. Alongside three days of in-season testing, it’s a track the Mercedes junior can deliver at — she secured both pole positions and the Race 1 victory on her debut F1 ACADEMY weekend last season.

Asked whether she believes she can continue her momentum into Round 2, Pin replied: “That’s the aim. I keep working hard every day to be better and when I get back in the car.

"Jeddah is an amazing track. Last year was positive, so I’m looking forward to testing first and to work. Then, we will see, but for sure, that’s the target.”