F1 broadcaster misses first grand prix in 28 years

An interviewer holds an FIA microphone — Photo: © IMAGO

F1 News & Gossip

F1 broadcaster misses first grand prix in 28 years

The streak is over for Tom Clarkson

Graham Shaw Consultant Editor

Digital sports specialist running global brands for 30 years

Friday 2 October 2026 08:14

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Thursday's FIA driver press conferences at the Bahrain Grand Prix had a very different feel to them for one notable reason - where was Tom Clarkson?

The long-time broadcaster is absent from an F1 race weekend for the first time in an incredible 28 years after a schedule change caused him to miss this showdown in Malaysia.

Instead of Clarkson, it was former Sky Sports F1 star Rachel Brookes stepping in to ask the opening questions to Max Verstappen and co.

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Tom had an astonishing run of attending more than 500 consecutive F1 grands prix - but now he will have to start a fresh streak next weekend in Singapore.

The last time the broadcast veteran, who has worked with BBC, Sky Sports and Channel 4 among countless others, missed a race, the year didn't even start with a '2' - his streak began way back in 1998.

Those sound like the actions of a man who's pretty meticulous about scheduling details and keeping his extraordinary streak intact, right? Well, yes. But sometimes F1 throws a curveball.

Clarkson and 1996 F1 champion Damon Hill had arranged to take their An Evening with Damon Hill - In Conversation with Tom Clarkson show out to Australia and New Zealand this autumn, planning the dates around the F1 schedule.

However they were not banking on the Bahrain Grand Prix being moved to the one weekend they are otherwise engaged.

Bahrain to Malaysia move ends Tom Clarkson streak

The race had originally been scheduled for April but was postponed due to heavy armed conflict in the area, later being moved to Malaysia and placed this weekend as the middle leg of a new triple-header between Azerbaijan and Singapore.

When the schedule change was made, Clarkson told Speedcafe that although it meant the end of his ironman streak of race attendance, he and Hill would uphold their tour commitments, saying: “Since all those plans were put in place of course the Bahrain Grand Prix is taking place at Sepang in Malaysia that middle weekend.

“Which has slightly scuppered things. But we are committed to the tour. Nothing will change on the tour.”

Tom Clarkson is missing the Bahrain Grand Prix.

'Really weird' for absent broadcaster

Adding to Clarkson's disappointment that his 28-year streak will come to a close is the fact that, for the first time since 2017, the sport is back at the Sepang International Circuit - a track he admits that he loves.

“It’s going to be really weird,” he said.

“Also not helped by the fact I love Sepang. I think it’s one of the modern day classics. Love the racetrack. I love the fact that it’s going to be a hot race. A physical race.”

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