A movie without a background score, a song without beats, and any sport without commentary is incomplete. Sure the emphasis remains on the protagonist but without the supporting cast, it doesn’t have the same effect. The supporting role in Formula 1 is played by the commentating team who make the racing more exhilarating. So ahead of the Australian GP, let’s look at the team responsible for making racing more exciting for the fans watching across the globe.

As you may know, Formula 1 sells its telecasting rights. Thanks to a legacy deal struck during Bernie Ecclestone’s ownership period, in the UK, a subscription to Sky Sports is necessary to watch F1 action. However, Channel 4 is also part of the deal where they will showcase highlights of all the races on Sunday. However, for the British GP alone, Channel 4 will stream the race live and it will be free to air on the channel. So depending on what channel you’re catching the action and the weekend rundown on, let us get you acquainted with the team in front of the camera.

Sky Sports F1 team

Sky Sports has the best team on hand for F1 commentary and they’ve proved themselves every year since 2012, the year Sky Sports acquired the rights to replace BBC. However, last year, the Sports channel had some personnel changes as Johnny Herbert and Paul di Resta left the Sky Sports F1 team. Now let’s take a look at the team who will be taking charge of the 2024 season.

David ‘Crofty’ Croft

David Croft is the first and most common name on the list, having held his position as commentator since 2012. The Brit was also part of the BBC Radio 5 Live from 2006 to 2011. In his 18-year-long career, Crofty has given us some iconic moments, with the 2022 British GP action being the most memorable in recent history.

Martin Brundle

Not the only former racing driver on the list, Martin Brundle has 158 Grand Prix starts under his belt but he found more success in the world of commentating. The Brit is a commentator and Crofty’s right-hand man but also doubles down as an analyst for Sky Sports F1. Brundle has also made himself synonymous with the Grid Walks which has become a fan favorite in recent years.

Ted Kravitz

Ted Kravitz is another name we’ve gotten used to hearing as the veteran commentator has been part of the F1 world for about 20 years now. Kravitz is usually seen around the paddock giving live pit lane coverage during a weekend’s action. His popularity can be measured by the online outrage that was sparked by rumors of him leaving the Sky team. However, his contract was renewed and now Ted’d Notebook is a popular post-weekend show.

Other names on the Sky Sports F1 roster

There are plenty of other famous personalities on the Sky Sports F1 roster who regularly feature during a race weekend and deliver expert analysis and insight.

1. Simon Lazenby – Sky F1 lead presenter
2. Damon Hill – 1996 F1 World Champion
3. Anthony Davidson – Former F1 driver
4. Nico Rosberg – 2016 F1 World Champion
5. Jenson Button – 2009 F1 World Champion
6. Bernie Collins – Former Performance Engineer and Performance Engineer
7. Danica Patrick – Former IndyCar racer
8. Natalie Pinkham – Host of the F1 show
9. Naomi Schiff – Former W Series driver

Apart from the Sky Sports F1 team, there is an impressive list of names part of the Channel 4 team covering F1.

Channel 4 (C4) roster

1. David Coulthard – Former F1 driver and also owner of the production company that produces all C4 coverage.
2. Steve Jones
3. Ben Edwards
4. Eddie Jordan – Former team owner of Jordan Racing
5. Mark Webber – Former F1 driver
6. Billy Monger – Former racing driver

So here’s a complete list of all entities that will be present and active during the upcoming Australian GP and beyond.

Read More: 2024 Australian Grand Prix Schedule: How & Where to Watch the Next F1 Race?