For all that we see on F1 race weekends, there is so much work going on behind the scenes that the wider world does not know about.

Be it team members packing and unpacking all of their equipment to take from circuit to circuit around the world, the unseen hard work the drivers do to be in prime physical condition, or the media’s lengthy process of researching to bring fans the best possible coverage, there is an awful lot that happens away from the camera.

As travelling members of the Formula 1 circus here at PlanetF1.com, we’re well-versed in how to bring you the best of race weekends, but our colleagues in F1 commentary also look to cover every possible base when preparing for live broadcasts.

The best sports commentators are known for their painstaking levels of research behind creating handwritten notes for each and every event – notes that you can now own forever thanks to The Sports Commentators.

Own the notes behind F1’s most iconic and controversial races

Leading F1 commentator David Croft describes each set of his commentary notes as his “labours of love”, creating new sheets for every race in the booth, not only to stay as up to date as possible but to bring the most relevant facts, statistics and important background to the watching viewers.

For the most memorable moments, these notes act as a time capsule to accompany sporting history – with data, anecdotes, stories of everyone involved and a new way to bring fans closer to their favourite sports.

It is often misconstrued that commentators have rehearsed lines ready for the biggest moments, but that is far from the truth, with the readiness for any scenario coming back to their pre-event preparation.

And ‘Crofty’, along with a whole host of F1 and other sport commentators, has made prints of his original commentary notes from hundreds of races available with The Sports Commentators, including Lando Norris’ emotional first World Championship-winning race.

Own your little piece of McLaren and Lando Norris’ title success

The Sports Commentators have partnered with McLaren to release special framed prints of Croft’s notes from the 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

This makes the perfect collector’s item for Norris fans to commemorate the night he etched himself into the Formula 1 history books, with this special print including the complete Drivers’ and Constructors’ standings from 2025, alongside a list of McLaren’s Drivers’ and Constructors’ title winners from years gone by.

McLaren fans can choose their title-winning package by owning Crofty’s handwritten notes from the 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix or Norris’ first home win, at the British Grand Prix, with the ultimate edition including a signature from Crofty himself.

The 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – crystallised forever

Also available are Croft’s commentator notes from arguably the most controversial race in F1 history.

The title was on the line between Sir Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen, to be decided in dramatic fashion when a late Safety Car was deployed, and brought in with one lap to go.

Verstappen, on fresh tyres, pounced to take the lead and left Hamilton and Mercedes stunned, not least because of the FIA race director’s actions to get the race back underway ahead of the final lap.

Holding his original copy, Croft explained the kinds of notes that made it onto his sheet ahead of such an event.

“Things like Lewis Hamilton had been a Drivers’ champion since Mexico 2017, so going into that race, he had been Drivers’ Champion for 1,506 days,” Croft said.

“Max Verstappen could become the first Dutch champion, the first non-Mercedes champion in the hybrid era, the first Red Bull champion since 2013 and the first Honda power champion since Ayrton Senna back in 1991.

“It was all set up for quite an incredible finish, and we did get a finish that nobody ever expected.

“Just to give you a few details about the length I need to go to prepare, right at the bottom, it says ’98 days to go to the 2022 Bahrain Grand Prix.’

“So as we finish, we’ll look ahead to when Formula 1 starts again in 98 days’ time.”

More special notes

That memorable 2021 race forms just one of a vast archive made available by The Sports Commentators, including many sets of notes signed by Crofty himself.

All signed editions are wet signatures, which are witnessed and 100% verified – so a signed copy means exactly that.

Other popular Formula 1 prints with The Sports Commentators include the 2024 British Grand Prix, when Hamilton broke his long winning duck to take an emotional (and record-extending) ninth win at Silverstone, and his penultimate win as a Mercedes driver.

For the 2025 British Grand Prix, commemorating the 75th anniversary of Formula 1, a rare, limited edition run of just 27 prints have been made available, signed by Croft and three-time World Champion, Sir Jackie Stewart (one for each of his career F1 victories), to help raise money for his charity, Race Against Dementia.

New World Champion Norris took his first win in front of his home crowd at Silverstone in July, and the special-edition notes accompanying it include a list of every winner around Silverstone since Formula 1’s first ever race there, in 1950.

Across different disciplines, The Sports Commentators have commentary notes from over 400 sporting events available on their website – and over 10,000 in their archive. So, if you do not see the race you’re looking for, get in touch via hello@thesportscommentators.com.

All of these are prints of the original notes to the world’s greatest sporting occasions. These have not been re-created. The commentators hand-wrote the notes and used these actual notes during their commentaries.

PlanetF1.com readers can get a 10% discount on all purchases, too, by entering the code PF1 at checkout, or by clicking this link to browse the full collection at The Sports Commentators.