British F1 Punditry in Turmoil Following Hill's Departure
Nov.22 - More well-known British pundits could also leave Sky's English-language coverage of Formula 1.
1996 world champion Damon Hill, a member of the Sky punditry team for over a decade, is leaving the broadcaster. It follows his recent harsh assessment of Max Verstappen's driving.
"I think that he (Verstappen) is using fear and intimidation," Hill had said before facing widespread accusations of pro-Lando Norris bias, including by the Verstappen camp.
"I don't know whether it was his (Hill's) decision or Sky's, to be honest," fellow former British F1 driver Johnny Herbert, who was axed by Sky ahead of the 2023 season, said.
"I know he got criticism for the Max scenarios and maybe he felt 'You know what, I don't need that'. There is change going on.
"If he was pushed, then you wonder what could happen to Martin Brundle and David Croft."
Indeed, lead Sky UK commentator Croft, and his award-winning and highly respected sidekick Brundle, were - like Hill - also accused of anti-Verstappen bias recently.
Herbert says he knows that Hill in particular was "very unhappy" with the bias accusations.
"He was very unhappy at the crazy level of abuse he got over his Max comments," said Herbert, who has also been accused of pro-British bias whilst serving as a regular recent FIA steward.
"Maybe all that negativity made him (Hill) decide," he concluded.
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No great loss for me…I find him dull and and he always looks uncomfortable. I’d like more JV, Danika and Bernie Collins. While I’m at it, can someone please end Brundle’s grid walk.
the entire SKY team is hopelessly biased in favor of Brit drivers - as an American condemned by Disney to watch the Sky coverage on ESPN, I for one am sick of it. Bring back Speed Channel!
Adrian - yeah, right on. Here in the Democratic Peoples Republic of Kanada we're forced to listen to Crusty and Bungle as well. A couple of the women are inciteful and I like Chandok.
However, give me David Coulthard calling the race ANY day of the week
Agreed! We should start a petition to have DC as chief presenter and sack the others! He may be a Scot, but he doesn't favour the Brits or any driver or team in particular.
Hes very knowledgeable too, but i think hes still an Rb brand ambassador, Torger the tank engine would have his lawyers on it like a shot, putting in protests lol
thanks - curious if Quebec TV does a French broadcast seperate from the SKY coverage. And I've only heard Coulthard doing post-race interviews, never commentary. Button and Davidson aren't so bad but the pro-Brit bias just oozes out of Croft, Brundel and the little weasel that does the pit lane reporting - he's the worst. Not a fan of the Irish lass only because I just can't understand half of what she says due to her thick brogue. Pinkham is still mostly eye candy, even at her age (tho perhaps they're grooming the lovely Danica to take over that roll). Surprisingly Naomi Schiff is often the most insightful AND also easy on the eyes.
To my knowledge, Canada has both TNS & RDS separately broadcasting F1 for the English & French regions, respectively.
Just like with NHL, for example.
DC does the commentary for his own production company on c4 , got to dissagree on Naomi a very average w series driver , and just a box ticking colour exercise by sky who are financial supporters of Hannahs project44, imo thats why shes on sky
Do i care about Bites , not in the slightest
She may have been an average driver in that farce that is the W series - Toto's wife's lil' pet project - and she may well have been a DEI hire to begin with at SKY - but, she's grown into the job and as I said is surprisingly insightful. What is Bites?
We will agree to disagree sir, bites and attacks , i meant persons who disagree with the box ticking comment
Agree with all you say, except for your final comment. Naomi is really out of her depth, trying to sound like she knows what she is talking about. Maybe you haven't noticed, but former F1 drivers with Sky (Button, Davidson, Hill, Villeneuve, et al) cringe at Naomi's waffle! If you've had the opportunity to be close to F1 teams and the drivers, you will know Naomi talks rubbish! The Irish lass at least knows what she is talking about and speaks from good experience with an F1 team.
As for easy on your eyes, I think you need new glasses!
Really? Personally I think Jaques talks out of his Quebecois ass most of the time and Hill at least half the time... and between his bow-legs and Chanduk's knock-knees they're like the Mutt & Jeff of leg deformities - and the Irish lass also looks like she's pregnant but she's just got a big tummy. And if you don't thing Naomi is kinda hot (not as hot as Danica in her mini skirts tho), well, I can't help you there!
Love them or hate them, at least Jensen, Jacques and Damon have been there and been WDC's, and Davidson in F1 and WEC, so they have credibility. Same with Danica and Bernie, that both have credibility owing to their past top line involvement. Bernie just enjoys food and drink so of course she is portly!
Your girl Naomi was an also ran in a poorly contested girls only series, so I give her little credibility. You could say she in hot, until she open her mouth! But I agree with you about Danica, and also Elise, they are very pleasing to the eye, and good to listen to as well.
The best commentor in F1 is Will Buxton. No bias, most knowledgeable. He never acknowledged celebrities, he looked for people who were knowledgeable in the sport. Brundle embarrasses himself every race trying to kiss up to the celebrities who know nothing about the sport. Crofty would be better calling a horse race. Liberty Media is ruining this sport.
Smokey , this confused me when you wrote it , who is Elise?
Agreed about Buxton - we had him when NBC carried F1 in the US... It's not Liberty's fault that that ESPN just runs the UK-biased Sky Sports coverage in the US.
Im sure everyone is aware that although Sky is based in the Uk and started in the Uk Sky But is owned by Murdoch who is Australian, in the Uk we can be, and often are accurately blamed for a lot of things but Sky isnt one of them (this time) lol
Murdoch may own it, and he surely deserves blame for a lot of rather awful things, both in his homeland, the UK and the US, but I doubt his Australian origins (sadly for us and what remains of our democracy, he's been a US citizen for many years now) has anything to do with the pro-Brit biases of Crofty, Brundel, Kravitz & Co. It's a broadcast completely and utterly by and for the Brits and we here in the USA are really getting sick and tired of it, notwithstanding the inclusion of Danica and Hinch for the US events.
I agree completely , but the UK market is skys home market lets not forget, nevertheless , they shouldnt be biased, the uk fans would still watch it on sky even if they were more neutral, where it falls down is as you say , when its broadcast in the usa, there are many in the uk too who are sick of the bias, as always money talked and his bid for the coverage was the highest, has it ruined it, sky i mean --- completely, yeah i watch it , but i dont pay sky a bean
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