Rachel Brookes "Completely Overwhelmed" by Support After Sky F1 Exit

Former Sky F1 presenter Rachel Brookes has broken her silence following her sudden departure from the broadcaster last month, revealing she was "completely overwhelmed" by the flood of supportive messages from fans. The longtime pit lane reporter, who spent over a decade as a fixture of Sky's race-weekend coverage, confirmed she has been working her way through every note and remains deeply tied to the F1 bubble even as she closes this chapter.

Why it matters:

Brookes' exit marks a significant shift in Sky F1's established presenting lineup as the broadcaster continues to reshape its on-air team. With more than ten years in the paddock, she had become one of the most recognizable British voices in the sport, making her departure a real changing-of-the-guard moment for UK F1 coverage. Her immediate pivot to new roles within the F1 ecosystem suggests the paddock has not seen the last of her.

The details:

• In an Instagram story posted ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix, Brookes thanked fans for their well wishes, writing: "I was very touched and it's taken a while to read them all! I haven't been able to reply to everyone but I have read them."
• Sky Sports stated that Brookes left to "take on new challenges as we evolve our coverage," though she declined to comment when approached about the specific circumstances of her departure.
• She has already landed her first post-Sky role, hosting Aston Martin's VIP hospitality event, "The Lawn," at the British Grand Prix at Silverstone. Brookes has previously fronted the team's car launch events in 2022, 2023, and 2026.
• Brookes also returned to Monaco last weekend for the E1 Series powerboat championship, but clarified on social media that it was simply an opportunity to "see another motorsport up close" and stressed it was "not a new job."

What's next:

Brookes has already made it clear she is not walking away from Formula 1 entirely, stating previously that "F1 still has my heart and so I'll still be involved in it." With her long-standing Aston Martin ties and a clear desire to stay embedded in the paddock, she looks set to remain a fixture in the F1 media landscape. Her next chapter may look different from the Sky pit wall, but her presence around the grid appears assured for the foreseeable future.