F1 Academy: Doriane Pin ends Friday on top after close FP2 in Qatar

Doriane Pin topped a closely contested second F1 Academy practice session under the lights in Qatar, edging title rival Abbi Pulling and Alisha Palmowski by mere hundredths of a second - setting the stage for an intense qualifying and race tomorrow.

Photo credits: Prema Racing

A few hours after the first practice session dominated by Doriane Pin, the 16 drivers returned to the Lusail International Circuit for the second 40-minute practice session. This time, they would be driving under the lights in after sunset, in conditions more representative for Race 1.

While F1 Academy has raced at night in Saudi Arabia and Singapore, this was their first under-the-lights session on a permanent track, offering invaluable learning opportunities for the drivers.

The Al Qubaisi sisters were the first to set times in the 1:57 range before Campos Racing teammates Chloe Chambers and Nerea Martí claimed the early top spots. Championship leader Abbi Pulling then set the new benchmark at 1:56.563 as lap times started to drop.

Grip issues challenged many drivers: Bianca Bustamante had a brief spin, Emely De Heus locked up, and Aurelia Nobels had a moment but kept her car on track. Doriane Pin’s first timed lap showed promising sector times but lacked in the third sector. Meanwhile, Alisha Palmowski clocked a strong 1:56.2, briefly placing her second behind Prema teammate Maya Weug. Chambers followed closely, less than a tenth behind.

Weug quickly responded with a 1:56.025, which became the new fastest lap until Pulling became the first driver to break the 1:56 barrier. Pin improved her time but remained fourth, just two-hundredths behind Palmowski. Chambers rounded out the top five, signaling an exciting weekend ahead.

Drivers pitted midway through the session for setup changes and fresh tyres. Lia Block climbed to sixth, then third, with a quick 1:56.151. The final 10 minutes became a qualifying simulation, with rapid improvements across the field. Chambers grabbed second with impressive sector times, just 0.005 seconds ahead of Weug.

Block briefly claimed the lead before being surpassed by Palmowski; however, Doriane Pin delivered a stellar lap, setting a new fastest time of 1:55.043. Pulling pushed hard but fell just short of her rival.

The session concluded with a dramatic exchange of fastest laps. Palmowski briefly reclaimed the top spot with a 1:54.936, thanks to an outstanding third sector. Pin responded with purple times in sectors one and two, reclaiming the lead. Pulling attempted to match her pace and went even faster - with the top three separated by just four hundredths of a second.

Emily De Heus climbed into the top ten late in the session, finishing eighth. Bustamante aimed to improve but encountered traffic, leading to a reprimand for Hamda Al Qubaisi.

At the end of an incredibly close session, Doriane Pin solidified her dominance with a final flying lap, clocking the fastest time of the day at 1:54.794 on her very final run. Pulling finished second, followed by Palmowski in third.

Maya Weug secured fourth, ahead of Hamda Al Qubaisi and Jessica Edgar, who continued her strong form from FP1. Lia Block took seventh, with Emely De Heus, Chloe Chambers, and Bianca Bustamante completing the top ten.

Aston Martin’s Tina Hausmann showed late-session progress, finishing just outside the top ten, followed by Martí, Nobels, Schreiner, Amna Al Qubaisi, and Lola Lovinfosse—all within 1.5 seconds of the leaders.

Qualifying, which will already award crucial championship points, is scheduled for 15:20 local time on Saturday, followed by Race 1 under the lights. Abbi Pulling, holding a 95-point lead over Doriane Pin, could potentially clinch the championship with a second-place finish.