Danica Patrick has parted ways with Formula 1 broadcaster Sky Sports just days ahead of the start of the 2026 season.
The former IndyCar and NASCAR driver, 44, has been part of their coverage for the past five seasons, first appearing during the United States Grand Prix in October 2021.
The UK broadcaster revealed its lineup for 2026 on Wednesday, with Patrick conspicuous by her absence from the list of hosts and analysts.
In recent months, Patrick has become ever-more forthright with her political views, closely aligning herself with MAGA and Donald Trump and leaving viewers split whenever she appeared on screen.
While Sky Sports is the official UK broadcaster of Formula 1, its feed was also shown in the US as part of ESPN’s coverage of the races.
That is set to change this season with the US coverage being taken over by Apple TV, which will primarily use F1TV’s feed for viewers in the States, while keeping Sky as an alternative broadcast.
Patrick passionately backed president Trump ahead of the election, even traveling with him on private jets to and from rallies, a decision which divided F1 fans.
Danica Patrick has left Sky Sports just days ahead of the 2026 Formula 1 season
Ahead of the election, Patrick hit the campaign trail to support now-president Donald Trump
SKY F1’S LINEUP
Experts & analysts: Martin Brundle, Jenson Button, Nico Rosberg, Jacques Villeneuve, Naomi Schiff, Bernie Collins, Karun Chandhok, Jamie Chadwick and Anthony Davidson
Presenters & reporters: Simon Lazenby, Natalie Pinkham, Ted Kravitz, Rachel Brookes and Craig Slater
Commentators: David Croft and Harry Benjamin
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She recently also made a speech at a Turning Point USA ‘Americafest’ event, baffling those in attendance with a story about a ‘past life regression’ that involved her living as a Native American.
The former driver did not appear at every race for Sky Sports, but was a regular analyst for North America races in Miami, Austin and Las Vegas, as well as north of the border in Montreal.
Sky Sports made its announcement just days ahead of the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, the curtain-raiser for the 2026 Formula 1 season.
Naomi Schiff is set to make a return to the screen after taking a break for maternity leave, while Natalie Pinkham will make her comeback at the Japanese Grand Prix after six months away for neck surgery.
Fan favorite Martin Brundle will continue his commentary role, as well as his famous ‘Grid Walk’, and he will be joined by all the usual suspects from recent years.
Patrick hit headlines earlier this week, meanwhile, when she trolls Canada’s silver medal-winning hockey stars after the Winter Olympics.
The 43-year-old Patrick, a former NASCAR driver, regularly shares photos on her Instagram
On Instagram, she shared a post which read: ‘If Canada had been smart and become the 51st State, they’d be gold medalists right now.’
A cheeky Patrick simply captioned her post, ‘Too soon?’
She also spoke out strongly against Billie Eilish in the wake of her anti-ICE Grammys speech earlier in the year.
On the night, the Wildflower singer took a moment to denounce federal law enforcement group ICE in the wake of multiple civilian deaths in Minneapolis.
‘As grateful as I feel, I honestly don’t feel like I need to say anything but that no one is illegal on stolen land. F*** ICE,’ she said in front of a packed out Crypto.com Arena.
While those inside the auditorium cheered, Patrick weighed in and pulled no punches as she shared multiple messages from Eilish’s critics onto her social media page.
One critic wrote: ‘What about if we all showed up to her mansion and said we are going to live there now? It’s stolen land, right? She doesn’t own it’.
Patrick previously dated Aaron Rodgers, calling the breakup her most painful experience in life
Another said: ‘Meanwhile, she’s chilling in her Hollywood Hills fortress with armed guards and a moat of privilege. If the land’s so stolen, sis, hand over the keys to the nearest tribe or migrant family’.
Patrick is widely regarded as one of the greatest female drivers of all-time, and she was the first woman ever to win an IndyCar Series race.
She also has the highest-ever finish for a woman in the Indy500 and Daytona 500 races, and got the first female pole in the NASCAR Cup Series.
Patrick officially retired from her own racing career after the 2018 Indy500.