Sky F1\u2019s Natalie Pinkham has confirmed that she will return to presenting duties at the upcoming Japanese Grand Prix having been given \u201cthe all clear\u201d following neck surgery last year.<\/p>\n
Pinkham has been a fixture of Sky F1\u2019s television coverage since the broadcaster secured the live Formula 1 broadcast rights in the United Kingdom and Ireland ahead of the 2012 season.<\/p>\n
Natalie Pinkham to make Sky F1 return at Japanese Grand Prix<\/p>\n
Want more PlanetF1.com coverage? Add us as a preferred source on Google<\/a> to your favourites list for news you can trust<\/p>\n The 48-year-old has not attended a race since the Italian Grand Prix at Monza last September, after which Pinkham revealed that she would \u201cbe out of action for a bit\u201d following a procedure on her neck.<\/p>\n As reported at the time by PlanetF1.com<\/a>, Pinkham had originally targeted a return at the Brazilian Grand Prix in November.<\/p>\n However, she was forced to cancel her trip to Sao Paulo days ahead of the race after her recovery proved \u201ctrickier than expected.\u201d<\/p>\n Ranked: Martin Brundle and Jacques Villeneuve among best Sky F1 pundits<\/p>\n Ranking the best pundits in F1: Brundle, Rosberg, Hill and more all rated<\/a><\/p>\n Jacques Villeneuve\u2019s bold and savage quotes: Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton targeted<\/a><\/p>\n Sky F1 was forced into a last-minute change of plan<\/a> at Interlagos as a result, with regular presenter Simon Lazenby \u2013 who had originally been scheduled to miss the Brazilian Grand Prix \u2013 flying into Sao Paulo to lead the broadcaster\u2019s coverage midway through the race weekend.<\/p>\n In a clip posted to social media, Pinkham has revealed that she has now been given \u201cthe all clear\u201d to make long-haul flights again with her first appearance of the F1 2026 season set to come in Japan later this month.<\/p>\n She said: \u201cHi friends.<\/p>\n \u201cSo, it has been a long, and if I\u2019m completely honest, quite difficult five months of rehab since my neck surgery, but I\u2019m really happy to say that I have been given the all clear to do long hauls again.<\/p>\n \u201cMy first [race] that I will be presenting for Sky F1 this year is Japan. And I am really happy about that because I bloody love Suzuka, so very excited to see you then.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd it will be the first time that the \u2018Karen cage\u2019, the bit of metal work at the back of my neck, is going to the other side of the world \u2013 [it\u2019s] called Karen because she moans a lot.\u201d<\/p>\n During her recovery, Pinkham invited fans to come up with a name for the scar on her neck, with \u2018Sabrina Scar-penter\u2019 and \u2018O-scar Piastri\u2019 among the contenders.<\/p>\n She went on to reveal that the winning suggestion was \u2018Scarlos Sainz\u2019 in a nod to the Williams driver Carlos Sainz, who recorded a short video to confirm the news.<\/p>\n The winning fan, Chris Farrow, is to receive signed Williams F1 team merchandise.<\/p>\n Pinkham\u2019s post has been \u2018liked\u2019 more than 11,000 times at the time of writing with several fans sending their well wishes.<\/p>\n One wrote: \u201cI cannot wait to have you back on our screens! So glad you are back and better.\u201d<\/p>\n Another added: \u201cGlad you\u2019ve had a great recovery! Can\u2019t wait to see you back at the tracks again soon.\u201d<\/p>\n Want to be the first to know exclusive information from the F1 paddock? Join our broadcast channel on WhatsApp<\/a> to get the scoop on the latest developments from our team of accredited journalists.<\/p>\n You can also subscribe to the PlanetF1 YouTube channel<\/a> for exclusive features, hear from our paddock journalists with stories from the heart of Formula 1 and much more!<\/p>\n