F1 news LIVE: Sky Sports axe popular presenters ahead of new season

Sky Sports have confirmed that they will be axing popular F1 pundit Johnny Herbert, as well as Paul di Resta, from their coverage ahead of the 2023 season.

Former driver Herbert has been a staple of Sky’s coverage since it picked up the rights in 2012 but has been chopped as part of a shake-up. A Sky spokesperson said: “Johnny has been an integral part of our Formula 1 team since the very first season on Sky Sports in 2012. We will miss his humour and big personality and thank him for his energy and enthusiasm over the last 11 years. Everyone wishes him all the best for the future.”

In other F1 news, FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has been directly criticised by a House of Lords peer after failing to respond to a letter raising concerns over Formula 1 races being held in the Gulf region.

Paul Scriven, a Liberal Democrat life peer, adds that the FIA’s recent move to ban F1 drivers from making political statements without prior approval is a policy that will shield host countries from “scrutiny over injustice” and which targets the sport’s “most outspoken driver” Lewis Hamilton . In a letter seen by The Independent , Lord Scriven labelled Ben Sulayem “deeply discourteous and unprofessional” after the Emirati executive “completely ignored” a letter in March 2022 about staging events in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, consequent human rights implications and accusations of facilitating sportswashing.

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