When I think of Vegas, I definitely don’t think of water,” says Danica Patrick. The former IndyCar and NASCAR driver returned to the Formula 1 broadcasting scene with Sky Sports in a big way. Patrick rejoined the team during the Formula 1 races in North America, starting at the Austin Grand Prix and continuing through the Mexican Grand Prix. Bringing her voice and insights back to the forefront of F1 coverage, she went on a special adventure with the team.

In a recent departure from Sky Sports, a former World Champion parted ways with the network. Sky Sports’ promotional video featuring Patrick’s return exacerbated these tensions, sparking debates about changing priorities. But Danica Patrick also had an advert video of her own, in her own humourous, adventurous, and crazy way!

Martin Brundle plus two take a wild ride in a promotional video

In a recent Instagram video shared by Danica Patrick, she was quite literally having an adventure with none other than the legendary, Martin Brundle and also Simon Lazenby.  Looking at the video, confirmed that they didn’t take the very basic route. Martin said, “Last year’s Grand Prix was extraordinary and I want to go into this year’s event in the right mindset and remember back in Miami. I promised you that it’s on me to get us into the Vegas circuit this year. Not on this wrath. Surely, how are we going to get there? I have a plan.” And then we can see the $2.9 million Quest Kodiak 100 pass right behind the trio as soon as Martin said, “You have to trust me.” Moments later, they were in it as they flew through the Nevada sky. 

However, that wasn’t the end of it. After the plane touched down, it was a helicopter waiting for the Sky Sports presenters. Going up in the sky, fans realized what they were in for. Patrick would be jumping into Las Vegas. Or rather, she was parachuting down into the city. It was an impressive moment for one of the biggest races of the season. It may have even helped Patrick get on the good side of F1 fans after her arrival in the Sky Sports lineup.

Earlier last week, fans shared their opinions when Sky Sports released the promotional video for Danica’s addition to the presenters’ lineup. Further aggravating fans was the fact that former F1 driver and renowned broadcaster Damon Hill was snubbed and Patrick landed a place. Damon Hill recently announced that he would end his punditry career after a decade with Sky Sports. Aside from attending races, the F1 legend also appeared on their podcast. 

Though there’s no clear reason for the split, fans suspect Hill lost out to newer presenters. Those unfamiliar with his career may not know that he won 22 races with the Williams F1 team during his career. Although Danica Patrick appeared in the shows leading up to Las Vegas, seeing her replace Damon Hill felt too much for fans. With Damon Hill out, fans thought Martin Brundle would be next. It got some fans fuming when the network didn’t include former drivers and industry veterans.

Patrick thinks it’s time for Sergio Perez to call it quits

Sergio Perez hasn’t had the best of seasons with Red Bull. While he was consistently in the fight for the podium in 2023, 2024 fared differently. While his teammate Max Verstappen fought for the Drivers Championship, Perez was stuck fighting in the midfield for most of the season. Add to this, his crashes have cost Red Bull upwards of $4 million in repairs to the car.

Weighing on this scenario, Danica Patrick believed Sergio Perez might benefit from stepping away from F1. Danica Patrick explained, “He’s done so many great things and won so many races. I think that, if it were me, I wouldn’t want to look like that anymore. I’d just say it’s time.” Perez is in no way past his prime in the sport. At 34, he consistently finished in the points, but on a lot of occasions, they weren’t enough to keep the team competitive in the Constructors’ standings.

It raised a lot of doubts over his future in the team. However, there’s one important consideration to be made in Perez’s case. As fans may remember, Verstappen struggled midway through the season. The car just didn’t feel right. Sergio Perez kept insisting there was something wrong with the car, and he’d been doing so for a while. It turns out there was something wrong with the way Red Bull developed the car.

The team explained that an upgrade they brought during the Spanish GP in 2023 created problems for them later in the development cycle of the RB20. Because Verstappen kept winning, they believed the problem wasn’t serious. In such a case, could Sergio Perez have had a different season altogether had Red Bull gone with a different strategy? Perhaps the conversation about his replacement wouldn’t even be happening. It will be interesting to see what Red Bull does for their second seat in 2025, especially since Perez has a contract in place. Do you think he will be replaced next season?