Why is Sky F1 star David Croft not at the Barcelona Grand Prix?

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Why is David Croft not at the Barcelona Grand Prix?

Brundle has a new commentary partner in Spain

Dan Ripley Global Editor

Professional F1 journalist and analyst

Saturday 13 June 2026 11:30 Updated: 11:59

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Sky Sports F1 commentator David Croft will not be present at this weekend's Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix, prompting a change in commentary duties for UK TV viewers.

Croft has been Sky Sports' lead commentator for F1 since Sky acquired the exclusive rights to show every race live in 2012, but he will be unavailable in Barcelona.

While Croft, known as Crofty by his broadcasting colleagues, will be absent at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, this is part of an expected absence from members of the Sky team during a season that stretches across 24 grands prix (although now 22 after cancellation of Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix).

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So Croft won't be in the F1 paddock but he will be at former F1 track Donington Park for Download Festival - which he let slip during the Monaco Grand Prix while on air for second practice.

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Croft off to Download Festival

He told colleague Bernie Collins: “I checked the weather forecast before you came up here and went: ‘Blimey, it’s going to rain tomorrow! This could be interesting!’

“Ant [Davidson, co-commentator] got all excited… and then I realised I’ve been checking the weather forecast for the Download Festival next weekend to know if I need to bring my wellies or not."

Replacing Croft for the weekend will be Harry Benjamin who has replaced Croft at races he has missed since 2024 for Sky Sports.

During second practice for the Barcelona Grand Prix, Chandhok revealed it was likely Croft would miss a further two races this season telling Benjamin that he would 'get two more goes' in the commentary box.

Benjamin revealed that he will 'only get one more go', hinting that Sky may have to find a second replacement for Croft later in the season.

Harry Benjamin will commentate for Sky Sports this weekend

Who has been F1's main commentator for British TV?

While Croft has held the microphone since 2012, many have gone before him. Once F1 started to be broadcast on TV regularly in 1978, Murray Walker was the lead commentator, even moving from BBC to ITV once the latter secured F1 rights in 1997. Walker was much loved by viewers, making him the unofficial voice of F1 until he retired in 2001.

From 2002, James Allen stepped in for ITV and he held the position until 2008 when ITV lost the rights again to the BBC.

Jonathan Legard was replaced after two years, before the BBC made Martin Brundle lead commentator, with David Coulthard replacing him as colour commentator for one season in 2011. Brundle then joined Croft at Sky Sports to once again be colour commentator in 2012.