Ex-Sky F1 pundit speculates further changes after Hill exit

Ex-Sky Sports F1 pundit Johnny Herbert has suggested Martin Brundle and David Croft could be next in the firing line from the broadcaster if Damon Hill was pushed through the exit door.

1996 F1 champion Hill announced last week that he would be leaving Sky Sports after 13 years.

No official reason was given for the exit, however the 64-year-old received increased scrutiny from fans lately following criticism over Max Verstappen's aggressive tactics in wheel-to-whell combat.

Herbert has suggested Hill might have opted to walk away himself following the wave of abuse sent his way.

“He was very unhappy at the crazy level of abuse he got over his Max comments,” Herbert told FlashscoreUSA. 

“Damon has a son with Down’s Syndrome and he does a lot of work for the Halow Project.

“A lot of the hate I was getting for my criticism of Max’s driving came through social media channels linked to the charity. That was ridiculous.

“People were going through the Halow charity Instagram account to get to me. Maybe all that negativity made him decide.

“My critics also used the BRDC account to get to me about the time penalties, qualifying in Brazil, and starting low down the grid. We were accused of being biased against Max.”

Brundle and Croft Sky F1 exits to follow?

Herbert was once part of the Sky F1 punditry line-up but departed the team at the end of 2022, insisting he didn't “decide to step away”.

With Hill now following the former F1 racer out of the exit door, Herbert has theorised more changes could be announced going forward. 

“Damon Hill has been saying ever since he started in 2012 that he wondered why he was doing the punditry,” Herbert said.

“Every year he said he wasn’t sure whether he would do it again. And every year for the next 12 he came back! I don’t know whether it was his decision or Sky’s, to be honest.

“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.”