April 18 (Reuters) - French driver Doriane Pin, winner of last year's all-female F1 Academy series, has become the first woman to drive a Mercedes Formula One car.
The 22-year-old development driver completed 76 laps of Silverstone's National Circuit on Friday, a total of 200km, in the W12 car that Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas drove to the 2021 constructors' title.
Pin is also the first Frenchwoman to drive a modern F1 car and one of few women to do so in a series that has not had a female driver start a grand prix in nearly 50 years.
"It was a unique opportunity and I made sure to enjoy my day to the fullest, along with doing the best job I could," she said.
"Whilst being a female driver doesn't define me, it was great to show what we can do."
Mercedes's driver development advisor Gwen Lagrue, a Frenchman, said the team were proud of the milestone.
"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," he added.
"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."
(Reporting by Alan Baldwin in London, editing by Clare Fallon)
