Former Sky Sports Formula 1 presenter Rachel Brookes has opened up about her exit from the broadcaster, revealing the emotional and supportive reactions she received from Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc.
Brookes stepped away from her role ahead of June’s Austrian Grand Prix, concluding a highly respected 14-year tenure in the paddock. While the announcement caught fans off guard because it came in the middle of a season, Brookes has clarified that the move was anything but abrupt behind the scenes.
During an appearance on the Essential F1 podcast, Brookes explained that she was able to bid farewell to the paddock on her own terms. “It appeared very sudden, but it wasn’t,” she revealed. “I had a chance to say goodbye to people in the paddock, to people I’ve worked with, teams and drivers.”
One of the most touching moments came from seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton. The Briton, who has been enjoying a resurgent 2026 campaign with Ferrari and currently sits second in the drivers’ standings, made sure to share a private moment with the pundit.
“I actually had a chance to say goodbye to Lewis,” Brookes added. “I had a lovely chat with Lewis and got some time with him to have a conversation. He was, as you would imagine, really, really lovely, very supportive. I won’t divulge everything that was said, but it was caught by some photographers. There’s a lovely photo at the end of it where he gives me a massive hug, and he says, ‘I hope I see you back in the paddock soon.'”
Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari
Photo by: Sam Bagnall / Sutton Images via Getty Images
During the Canadian Grand Prix weekend, Hamilton’s team-mate Charles Leclerc also made his feelings known. “Charles had just finished his written interviews and was just walking back out,” Brookes recalled. “I was just stood by my camera, and he came up and just gave me the biggest hug. Didn’t say a word, just gave me the biggest hug. So obviously someone had told him, and I just said thank you and he left.”
Brookes noted that other drivers who missed her in person sent touching video messages to her, reinforcing her belief that the F1 paddock operates as “one big family”.
She also took the opportunity to debunk online rumours suggesting her exit was linked to the social media backlash following an interview with Max Verstappen last year, stating that the issue was “resolved very quickly” and that she maintains a great relationship with the four-time champion.
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