Sky F1 announcer surprises everyone by leaving right away before the Austrian GP
Rachel Brookes, the Sky F1 reporter and presenter, has surprised everyone by leaving the company immediately, just before this weekend’s Austrian Grand Prix. Rachel has been part of Sky’s Formula 1 team since 2012 when they got the exclusive rights to show F1 in the UK.
She’s mostly been a paddock reporter, chatting with drivers before, during, and after races. Sometimes, she’s also hosted Friday practice sessions and has even stepped in as lead commentator.
Rachel shared the news on Twitter (now called X), saying she’s moving on to new and exciting things but will still be involved in F1. She’ll be attending the British Grand Prix next weekend, just in a different role. “After many years at Sky, I’m excited about what’s next,” she wrote. “I’ve left the Sky F1 team, but F1 still has my heart. I’ll keep you updated, and see you at Silverstone!”
Besides Sky Sports F1, Rachel also occasionally presented on Sky Sports News. Sky hasn’t announced who will replace her yet.
Natalie Pinkham, another paddock reporter who’s been with Sky F1 since the start in 2012, remains part of the team. Like others, she doesn’t work at every race in the 24-race season.
Sky’s F1 team has stayed pretty steady over the years, similar to their football and cricket coverage, with only a few changes. Main presenter Simon Lazenby, lead commentator David Croft, co-commentator Martin Brundle, analyst Anthony Davidson, and pit lane reporter Ted Kravitz have all been there since 2012.
Other team members include Karun Chandhok, Naomi Schiff, Bernie Collins, Jamie Chadwick, and former world champions Nico Rosberg, Jenson Button, and Jacques Villeneuve. They often step in as co-commentators when Martin Brundle isn’t around. Former champions Damon Hill and Johnny Herbert were also part of the team, but Danica Patrick, who joined for a while, won’t be back for 2026.
The Austrian Grand Prix happens this Sunday at 2pm UK time (3pm local) at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg. This race weekend is a regular one, with no sprint race until the British Grand Prix at Silverstone next week.
Austria is Red Bull’s home race, and so far, they haven’t won any Grand Prix this year. Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton made history recently by winning a race driving a non-Mercedes car for the first time this season at Barcelona-Catalunya. That was his first win since the 2023 Belgian Grand Prix, and the seven-time world champ will be aiming to win again in Spielberg.