F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix: Sky presenter ABSENT with health update

lewis hamilton, natalie pinkham, damon hill, sky f1, 2019, silverstone — Photo: © IMAGO

Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

Sky F1 presenter ABSENT from Abu Dhabi GP with health update

A Sky F1 presenter is not at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Saturday 7 December 2024 09:42 Updated: 12:56

A Sky F1 presenter has revealed why they are not present at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, issuing an update on their health.

Formula 1 is in Yas Marina this weekend for the final race of the 2024 season, with the constructors' championship battle between Mercedes and Ferrari going down to the wire.

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The Abu Dhabi GP weekend will see the departure of some F1 stars, including Valtteri Bottas, Zhou Guanyu and Kevin Magnussen, while Lewis Hamilton and Carlos Sainz wave goodbye to their respective teams.

Away from the competitors, Sky F1 are also set to have a change in 2025, with Damon Hill confirmed to be leaving the presenting team. But one presenter has been missing over the past few races, and has been confirmed to be missing the Abu Dhabi GP too.

Natalie Pinkham has become a fixture of Sky's F1 coverage

Why is Natalie Pinkham not at the Abu Dhabi GP?

Natalie Pinkham has become a fixture of Sky F1's coverage in recent years, often providing fans with added insight into how drivers are feeling before and after sessions.

However, the presenter is missing this weekend in Abu Dhabi, and took to her Instagram page to provide fans with an update on her condition, appearing with a cast on her arm.

"Hi friends, so my stupid neck isn't any better," Pinkham confirmed in a video.

"So reluctantly, I have had to pull out of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. I was never actually racing in it, pull out of the coverage of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

"And I realised that in my 14 years, my 14th season of covering F1, I have never withdrawn on medical grounds.

"I mean childbirth, that's sort of medical grounds isn't it," she continued. "My wedding, other people's weddings, birthdays, but never medical grounds.

"I've just been really lucky, so plenty to be grateful for. Obviously I'm really bored as I'm rubbish at doing nothing, and the pain is pretty horrible, but there are clearly far worse things happening in the world.

"So we're just gonna get on with it, and I'm gonna get another injection on Friday, so we'll let you know."

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Written by

Sam Cook - Digital Journalist

Sam Cook is a talented young sports journalist and social media professional who now specialises in Formula 1, having previously worked as a football journalist and a local news reporter for a variety of different brands.

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