Sky Sports Drops Danica Patrick from F1 Punditry Roster for 2026
Sky Sports has officially announced its Formula 1 pundit lineup for the 2026 season, with a notable omission: Danica Patrick, the American racing driver who had served as an analyst for the broadcaster for five years. In a press release issued on Wednesday, Patrick's name was conspicuously absent from the list of experts retained for the new campaign, which kicks off this weekend with the Australian Grand Prix.
Controversial Figure Exits After Five Seasons
Patrick, a well-known figure in motorsport, particularly to American audiences due to her success as a race winner in IndyCar and her status as one of the most recognisable female drivers, has been part of Sky Sports' rotating group of analysts in recent seasons. She typically appeared at North American races. However, her tenure has been marked by controversy, stemming from her outspoken political views and promotion of conspiracy theories.
In 2026 alone, Patrick, a vocal supporter of Donald Trump, made headlines for criticising the decision to award the Super Bowl halftime show to Puerto Rican musician Bad Bunny and for joking that Canadian ice hockey players "would be gold medallists" in the Winter Olympics if they had "been smart and become the 51st state" of the USA. The reason behind her exit has not been officially confirmed, but Mirror Sport understands she will be focusing on other projects moving forward.
Returning Faces and New Additions to Sky's Coverage
Sky Sports has not introduced any new pundits for the 2026 season. Instead, the broadcaster is welcoming back familiar faces. Naomi Schiff is set to return as an analyst after taking maternity leave during the latter part of the 2025 campaign. Additionally, presenter Natalie Pinkham will make her comeback at the Japanese Grand Prix later this month, following a six-month absence due to neck surgery.
Pinkham shared her recovery journey, stating: "I'm getting there! It's been a tougher, longer road to recovery than I had expected. But I'm doing physiotherapy every day at the moment - it's quite full on - but I'm getting stronger." In a social media post, she added: "I'm really happy to say that I have been given the all clear to do long hauls again. My first [race] that I will be presenting for Sky F1 this year is Japan. And I am really happy about that because I bloody love Suzuka, so very excited to see you then."
Enhanced Accessibility and New Theme for F1 Fans
Sky Sports also unveiled a new title track for their F1 coverage, featuring a song performed by pop sensation Tate McRae. Her track, Just Keep Watching, which was included in the soundtrack of F1: The Movie released last year and received a Grammy nomination, will now be featured throughout Sky's coverage of the sport for the entire season.
Furthermore, Sky's F1 broadcast will become more accessible to American fans due to Formula 1's new US TV deal with Apple. The Sky broadcast will be one of the options available for fans in the United States when they tune in to watch race weekends, expanding the global reach of the coverage.
