David Croft suggests a new Olympic sport featuring drivers from “around the world” ahead of the British GP.
It’s just past 8:40 on a Thursday morning, and Sky F1’s David Croft has settled down after watching 300 people run a lap around Silverstone before the British Grand Prix.
“Early start, but what a way to kick off,” he says.
Croft was up early for Gatorade’s ‘Run The Circuit’ challenge, where 300 lucky fans got a special chance to run a full 5.891-kilometre lap of the famous Silverstone track. Croft was the guest starter, calling the runners off before jumping in a van to meet the leaders halfway around at Brooklands.
Everyone got Hydration Booster sachets to help with quick hydration, replace lost fluids, and avoid the drop in performance that comes with just a small loss of water. These sachets have a special mix of carbohydrates, electrolytes, and B vitamins to help reduce tiredness.
“Seeing 300 people running down the Lewis Hamilton Straight was amazing, and some of the times were really fast,” Croft told SPORTbible.
“Did everyone finish? Yes, they did! One guy was wearing jeans and had some serious chafing, but he came back and said he was fine. Everyone cheered each other on, which was lovely. It was a real fan event. Usually, fans only get to walk the track after the race on Sunday, so it was special to go before the drivers.
“We met the runners at halfway, but the fastest had already gone through by then. The winners finished in about 21 minutes—super fast. That’s what good electrolytes do. It’s like a boost for performance.”
With the event done, the focus now shifts to the race itself, which many F1 fans look forward to every year. Over 175,000 people are expected to join on Sunday, making the first corners even more exciting, especially with home heroes Lewis Hamilton, Lando Norris, and George Russell fighting at the front.
“The crowd here is so loud, you can hear them over the engines,” Croft says.
He reflects on the 2021 race: “There was so much action—Max Verstappen taking the lead, Lewis chasing him through tricky corners—and then Max’s crash at Copse. Silverstone really encourages daring moves and overtaking. It’s one of the best tracks on the calendar, with iconic corners and plenty of chances to pass. With the new car rules, we might see even more battles, like the intense chase between Lewis and Max in Austria.”
Croft has been lucky enough to commentate on all nine of Hamilton’s British Grand Prix wins since 2008, but he hasn’t yet called a race where Hamilton wins at Silverstone while driving for Ferrari—a feat he’d love to see, with respect to the other drivers too.
Croft missed commentating on Hamilton’s first win with Ferrari in Barcelona last month because he was on a planned break. Instead, Harry Benjamin stepped in to call that exciting victory.
Instead of watching from home, Croft was at the Download Festival at Donington Park—another famous British race track—when a fan excitedly told him about Lewis’s win.
“I had the best time at Download,” Croft says. “I even got to introduce Skindred, one of my favorite ragga metal bands. Right after their set, I was hanging backstage with fans when someone asked, ‘What do you think of Barcelona’s result?’ I said, ‘What result?’ Then he told me Lewis won. I joked, ‘Thanks for spoiling it!’ But honestly, it was fantastic news. I caught up and watched the race later on my way to Austria.”
Watching races as a fan instead of commentating feels different, he says. “It’s nice to spend time with family and enjoy things like Download, which I hadn’t done in years. I felt like a rock star for the weekend, saw so many bands, and caught up with friends. It was great.”
David Croft’s motorsport career isn’t just about F1—though he’s been commentating there for over 20 years with Sky Sports and BBC Radio 5 Live. Back in 2005, he wrote about the A1 Grand Prix series, a unique concept where drivers raced for their countries, not just teams, all using the same car design. The series featured future stars like Nelson Piquet Jr., Sergio Perez, and Nico Hulkenberg before it ended in 2009.
There’s even talk about motorsport joining the Olympics. Though it hasn’t happened yet, Croft thinks karting or electric car racing could fit perfectly as Olympic events, bringing top drivers from F1, World Endurance Championship, and other series to race for their countries.
“If new sports are added to the Olympics, I’d love to see karting in there,” he says. “Electric cars too! Imagine men’s and women’s singles, doubles, and mixed races all in the same electric cars with drivers representing their countries. It’d be amazing to bring the best from F1, F2, WEC, and more together for a big stadium event everyone could support.
“This year marks my 400th F1 Grand Prix as a commentator. I’d love to commentate on something like that at the Olympics—just picture Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton going for gold for their countries!
“We started talking about hydration boosts today, but this would be an incredible boost for motorsport fans worldwide. Men, women, cars—boom. Done.”