Rachel Brookes explains Sky F1 exit and paddock goodbye

Rachel Brookes says her exit from Sky Sports F1 only looked abrupt from the outside, revealing she had already been able to say goodbye around the paddock before the news became public.

Speaking on the Essential F1 podcast after the Hungarian Grand Prix, Brookes said her departure “appeared very sudden, but it wasn’t,” and described a private farewell that included teams, colleagues and drivers. Among them was Lewis Hamilton, with whom she said she had “a lovely chat” before the announcement.

Brookes said Hamilton was “really, really lovely, very supportive,” and recalled the moment their conversation ended. “He gives me a massive hug and he says, ‘I hope I see you back in the paddock soon,’” she said.

She also described a separate moment with Charles Leclerc in Canada. Brookes said she was by her camera in the TV interview pen after Leclerc had finished his written media session when the Ferrari driver walked over, “gave me the biggest hug,” and left without saying anything after she replied, “Thank you.”

Brookes also used the podcast to push back on speculation over the reason for her departure. Referring to online abuse she received after an interview with Max Verstappen last year, she said it “was nothing to do with comments and abuse I got online last year at all,” adding that the issue “was resolved very quickly.” She said she still has “a great relationship with Max” and called suggestions of a link to her Sky exit “absolutely not the case at all.”

For Brookes, the stronger takeaway was the reaction from the paddock after the announcement. She said there were “a few drivers” she did not get to see in person, but that she received video messages from “a couple of drivers” the next day saying, “We’re going to miss you.” That response, she said, reinforced her view that “the paddock is a family,” adding that she was “quite overwhelmed by the response from everybody.”