Louise Goodman steps down from ITV role after 30 years

Ted Kravitz and Louise Goodman stand for an ITV presentation in 2002 — Photo: © IMAGO

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Much-loved F1 TV star steps down from ITV role after 30 years

Louise Goodman the evolution of F1 on British TV

Dan Ripley Global Editor

Professional F1 journalist and analyst

Wednesday 7 October 2026 17:27

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A much-loved pioneer in F1 broadcasting has stepped down from her motorsport role after nearly 30 years working as an on-screen face in British television.

Louise Goodman worked as a roaming paddock reporter for ITV when they had the F1 television rights between 1997 and 2008.

But she stayed with ITV once BBC won back the rights for F1, helping cover the channel's BTCC British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) for nearly the next two decades.

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Louise Goodman announces her departure

However, Goodman has decided to step away from the role, announcing in a statement: “I've decided to step down from ITV Sport's team covering the British Touring Car Championship.

"It brings an end to an amazing chapter with ITV, which started almost exactly 30 years ago when they took a punt on a total novice and offered me a pit lane reporter role with their brand new F1 team.

"Since 2007, I have found a very happy, welcoming home in the BTCC paddock and I am going to deeply miss my brilliant, tight-knit immediate team, the wider ITV family, and the countless wonderful people who make up the BTCC and all the support paddocks.

“To everyone who has been a part of this ride - from F1 to touring cars, on screen, off screen, watching at home or just shouting at your telly when I call someone by the wrong name - thank you.

"Thank you for the fun, the friendships and most of all the fabulous racing. What a way to earn my pennies all these years. It's been nothing short of amazing.”

Goodman had an incredible 30-year run at ITV.

Goodman paves the way

When Goodman started her role with ITV in 1997 it was the start of a brand new era in broadcasting. The concept of a reporter inside the paddock, at least with a TV presence, was a foreign concept for F1 viewers on British TV.

These days, at Sky the likes of Ted Kravitz, Craig Slater, (and previously Rachel Brookes) perform similar roles to the one Goodman had to lay the foundations for back in 1997. In fact Louise arguably did two jobs in one, covering the race live from the pit-lane as well as being in the mixed zone to interview drivers and team bosses.

In addition, Goodman was the first woman to be a regular on-screen presence on British coverage of F1, making her an pioneer for women wanting to work in the sport.

She worked with some of the greats of F1 broadcasting, including legendary commentator Murray Walker as well as current Sky stars Martin Brundle and Kravitz.

In addition to Walker's commentary replacement James Allen, she worked with notable presenters including Jim Rosenthal and Steve Rider, the latter she would join to cover BTCC.

Goodman covered world champions including Michael Schumacher, Mika Hakkinen, Damon Hill, Jacques Villeneuve and Fernando Alonso, and her last race for the broadcast was Lewis Hamilton's first title win at the 2008 Brazilian Grand Prix.

Before broadcasting she had previously held F1 senior communication roles with the Jordan team (now Aston Martin) and the defunct Leyton House outfit who gave Adrian Newey his big break.