F1 Drive to Survive star opens up on stroke battle: 'I had to relearn how to write'

Jennie Gow stands in a black dress in front of turquoise super car — Photo: © @Jennie.Gow

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F1 Drive to Survive star opens up on stroke battle: 'I had to relearn how to write'

Jennie Gow works for the BBC

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Sunday 10 May 2026 22:42

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Broadcast journalist and F1 Drive to Survive star Jennie Gow has opened up on her recovery from a stroke.

Having worked for the BBC for over a decade now, Gow is a much-loved member of the F1 paddock, and reports from the pit lane for BBC Radio 5 Live.

She also appears in Drive to Survive, and was a big part of season three particularly, the season which covered the COVID-hit F1 year.

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In December 2022, however, Gow experienced a serious stroke which was caused by a blood clot resulting from a torn carotid artery, and the British journalist had to stop working for a while.

Remarkably, Gow returned to the paddock as early as July 2023, and has now opened up on her recovery from the stroke.

"I've had to relearn how to write," Gow told the Paddock Journal. "Reading is still a challenge. Fatigue is something I still battle with significantly. Finding the right word at the right time is an ongoing thing.

"But it has taught me a great deal about how humans respond to adversity. And I think it has made me a better journalist."

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Gow's career as a motorsport journalist

As well as covering F1, Gow has also covered a variety of other motorsports throughout her journalism career.

Gow actually started her motorsport journalism career in MotoGP, being the main presenter of BBC's coverage of the motorcycle championship for the 2010 season.

Having moved into F1 from 2011 onwards, Gow was promoted into a full-time pit lane reporter role with the BBC for the 2012 season with BBC Radio 5 Live.

That's where she has become well-known among F1 fans for many years, but Gow also hosted ITV4's coverage of the Formula E championship from 2014-2018, before also covering the all-electric series for the BBC once the rights swapped hands.

Gow is also the co-commentator of another all-electric racing series, having had the role on the English language world feed of Extreme E since 2021.

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