Former Sky F1 pundit Johnny Herbert hinted at Martin Brundle and David Croft being shown the door and offered insight into Damon Hill’s reaction to the backlash over his Max Verstappen comments.

In the break between the Brazilian and Las Vegas GPs, 1996 World Champion Damon Hill – who had served as a pundit in Sky’s Formula 1 coverage since they secured the rights in 2012 – announced that he will depart at the end of the F1 2024 season.

Martin Brundle and David Croft under threat at Sky F1?

Herbert himself knows what it is like to exit the Sky F1 team, the three-time F1 race winner having been dropped at the end of 2022 after serving as a pundit since 2012 like Hill.

And Herbert fears for the futures of two more Sky F1 stalwarts, those being lead commentator David Croft and co-commentator/pundit Martin Brundle, who have also been there since day one.

“I don’t know whether it was [Hill’s] decision or Sky’s, to be honest,” said Herbert in conversation with FlashscoreUSA.com.

“Was it an enjoyment factor? Potentially. I know he got criticism for the Max scenarios and maybe he felt, ‘You know what, I don’t need that.’

“There is change going on. If he was pushed, then you wonder what could happen to Martin Brundle and David Croft.”

Hill caused a stir after saying he was not sure Verstappen is “capable” of fair racing as its “not in his repertoire” after the Championship leader received a pair of 10-second time penalties after his battles with rival Lando Norris in Mexico.

Herbert himself has been critical of Verstappen, with the Dutchman biting back at the British press in Brazil.

Ad

And Herbert claims that the backlash which Hill received did not sit well with the 64-year-old.

“He was very unhappy at the crazy level of abuse he got over his Max comments,” Herbert revealed. “Maybe all that negativity made him decide.”

The certainty in this situation is that Hill’s time with Sky F1 is coming to an end, with Brundle and Croft part of the team which Hill expressed his admiration for upon revealing the news.

“Its been a fantastic 13 years with Sky Sports F1 but all good things come to an end,” he wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter).

“I will miss the most impressive bunch of professionals it has ever been my pleasure to have worked with. Looking forward to new challenges.”

The F1 2024 season resumes this weekend with the Las Vegas Grand Prix, the first race of a triple-header which will see the campaign to its conclusion.

Verstappen only needs to better Lando Norris by three points to secure his status as a four-time World Champion.