Former Sky F1 presenter Rachel Brookes has revealed what Lewis Hamilton said to her when he learned she was leaving her role ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix.
Brookes first began working as a freelancer at Sky back in 2009 before becoming an integral part of the broadcaster’s F1 coverage, conducting trackside interviews with drivers.
Despite being a much-loved figure in the paddock, the 51-year-old announced she was leaving Sky ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix, posting the following statement on social media: “After many years at Sky, I am moving on to exciting new ventures and looking forward to what comes next.
This caused fans to question the reason for her shock decision before Sky Sports later released a statement wishing Brookes well in her “new endeavours” without explaining why she had parted company.
There were rumours that part of the reason for her decision was related to the abuse she received after a frosty incident with Max Verstappen following last year’s Spanish Grand Prix.
Brookes had asked Verstappen if he had intentionally made contact with George Russell during the race after the Dutchman received a 10-second penalty.
“Does it matter?” Verstappen replied.
Speaking on the Road to Success podcast earlier in 2026, Brookes opened up about the “horrific” abuse she faced after the Spanish Grand Prix, saying: “The social media side of it was horrendous.
“I got people telling me I should never be able to have children because I’m a bad example. I got the most horrific stuff you could imagine.”