Why is David Croft absent from Azerbaijan Grand Prix?

Sky Sports F1 commentator David Croft confirmed his absence ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend and has been replaced in the booth by Harry Benjamin.

Due to the demands of the 24-race calendar, Sky have rotated their lineup of pundits and commentators in recent years, with Croft confirming he would miss three races ahead of the 2025 season.

Croft wrote on X: "I’m missing three races again, Imola, Austria and Baku."

Alongside his social media announcement, Simon Lazenby also confirmed Croft's absence during an appearance on the Sky Sports F1 podcast.

After discussing what it takes for a driver to get a permit at the Nordschleife ahead of Max Verstappen’s attempt, Lazenby said to Croft: “Not something that you'll be getting anytime soon. You're too busy, Crofty.

"Although actually, you know, you've got a weekend off. Maybe you can get down there in the next couple of weekends, haven't you?”

For the Azerbaijan GP weekend, Croft will be replaced by BBC 5 Live commentator Harry Benjamin, who also replaced the 55-year-old at Imola and in Austria.

Who is Crofty's replacement Harry Benjamin?

Benjamin first burst onto the F1 broadcasting scene in 2021, when he joined F1TV and took on the lead commentator role for Formula 2, Formula 3, as well as the Porsche Supercup.

In 2023, Benjamin then provided F1 commentary for BBC radio, alongside joining Sky Sports F1, where he led the inaugural F1 Juniors broadcast, and the F1 Academy.

The Brit has also commentated for various other motorsport championships including British GT, eSkootr, and Touring Cars, and has hosted live events for the likes of Ferrari, Porsche, Silverstone, and the FIA.

Benjamin even runs his own podcast network, MotorMouth Media, and has tried other sports like golf, table tennis, and MotoGP.

If all that experience was not enough, Benjamin also has a background in the arts, and trained as an actor at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA).

Benjamin first started to cover Crofty's commentary duties for Sky Sports in 2024, replacing him in Imola and in Austria in 2025.

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