Former Sky Sports F1 star returns for Spanish Grand Prix

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Former Sky Sports F1 star returns for Spanish Grand Prix

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Chris Deeley Editor

Experienced sports writer covering F1 and other motorsports since 2023

Saturday 12 September 2026 12:28

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Former Sky Sports F1 presenter Rachel Brookes was back working in the paddock at the Spanish Grand Prix, hosting the FIA's team representatives press conference on Friday.

The popular broadcaster surprised many when she announced her departure from Sky in June this year, just before the Austrian Grand Prix, although she did insist at the time that F1 would still be in her future.

Tom Clarkson typically hosts the FIA's press conferences at race weekends – and, indeed, did so on Thursday – but many paddock attendees and remote viewers noted that he was replaced by Brookes on Friday.

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In her initial departure announcement earlier in the year, Brookes wrote: "After many years at Sky I am moving on to exciting new ventures and looking forward to what comes next.

"I have left the Sky F1 team but F1 still has my heart & so I’ll still be involved in it. I’ll keep you posted, in the meantime see you at Silverstone!"

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Brookes hailed replacement after Sky Sports departure

A spokesperson for Sky told GPFans at the time of the announcement: "Rachel has moved on from the Sky Sports F1 team to take on new challenges as we evolve our coverage. Rachel has been an asset for the team and we wish her well in her new endeavours."

Speaking on an episode of the Essential F1 podcast the following month, Brookes shed light on her departure.

"Obviously I left Sky. I have left Sky and it appeared very sudden…But it wasn't. I had a chance to say goodbye to people in the paddock, to people I've worked with, teams, drivers. And I actually had a chance to say goodbye to Lewis."

On her de facto replacement Craig Slater, she added: "It looked sudden. It's not. Craig was ready to step up. He stepped up for me when I was ill and Baku and I had my appendicitis and when I've taken races off in the past. So there's a smooth transition and he'll do a fantastic job.

"So I just wanted to address that because I've had so many people asking me about it. It's all good. I had a fantastic time. I had 14 and a half years doing the best job in the world."

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