Natalie Pinkham shares health update after neck surgery

Sky Sports F1 presenter Natalie Pinkham has provided an update on her condition after undergoing neck surgery earlier this year.

Pinkham has been an integral part of the Sky F1 team since the UK broadcaster gained the rights to the sport's coverage in 2012, but has been absent since the 2025 Italian Grand Prix following surgery.

Doctors advised the presenter to go under the knife after warning that she was at risk of suffering permanent nerve damage due to a disc putting pressure on her spinal cord.

In her latest update via social media, the Sky F1 star announced that whilst she had hoped to have returned to her duties in front of the camera for the show-stopping Brazilian GP this weekend, she will no longer be able to do so due to the recovery process taking longer than expected.

Instead, fan-favourite pundit Martin Brundle will return to the screen with Sky for this weekend's event at Interlagos, joined by various Sky colleagues, including David Croft, Ted Kravitz, Jamie Chadwick and Craig Slater.

Sky F1 star explains Brazilian GP absence

In a post via her official Instagram account ahead of the penultimate sprint event in Sao Paulo, Pinkham revealed that she had found the recovery process from the surgery which included removing her voice box to be 'trickier' than predicted.

Her post read: "Hello friends… I had hoped to be on a flight to Brazil yesterday, but the last couple of months have been trickier than I expected following neck surgery; and I am not there just yet….

"Huge thanks to the #skyf1 team and the wider company for their incredible support.

"Love and thanks to @biowellhealth for helping me to heal….and to @drbencarraway for starting to get me moving again. And here’s to family, friends, good food and fresh air for their combined healing qualities.

"Now the hard work really starts…. let’s do this! (Sorry if you don’t like scars)."

F1 driver Esteban Ocon sent his best wishes, commenting: "Wishing you a speedy recovery Natalie. See you in the paddock very soon," whilst former Ferrari star Felipe Massa added: "Get well soon."

F1 COMMENTATORS: Meet the Sky Sports and Channel 4 teams including Martin Brundle, Naomi Schiff and Danica Patrick

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