Rachel Brooks Retires from Sky Sports

Rachel Brooks has announced her departure from Sky Sports after a 14-year tenure as an F1 reporter. She shared the news on X just days before the upcoming Austrian Grand Prix at Spielberg.

The exact reasons for her retirement remain unclear, yet it follows closely after she discussed experiencing “horrific abuse” online, which came after her interview with racer Max Verstappen.

During that interview, Verstappen had collided with George Russell, a Mercedes driver, at the 2025 Spanish Grand Prix. He received a 10-second penalty for the incident and later acknowledged that he had “made a mistake.”

In a tense moment, a reporter had asked Verstappen whether the collision was intentional. His response was, well, evasive; he seemed to question the relevance of that inquiry.

On the podcast “The Road to Success,” Brooks mentioned that many in the broadcasting field praised her for her bold questioning, noting that some might have felt intimidated to ask it. However, the public’s reaction was far less positive.

Brooks expressed her dismay about the backlash, stating, “The fans and the social media response were terrible. I was called a bad example and told I should never have children. It was just the worst experience.” It’s quite shocking, really, considering some of the comments came from seemingly approachable profiles, like fathers.

Returning to her career, Brooks joined Sky in 2009, and her role expanded significantly when Sky secured the UK broadcast rights in 2012. She became well-known for her engaging interviews with drivers and her travels to various Grand Prix events.

Though she is stepping away from Sky, Brooks is set to remain active in the F1 world and is expected to participate in next week’s British Grand Prix.

In her farewell message on X, she expressed excitement about her new endeavors, saying, “After many years at Sky, I’m moving on to an exciting new business and look forward to what’s next. My heart remains in F1, and I will continue to stay involved. Until then, see you at Silverstone!”