22 February 2024 , 15:22
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Harry Benjamin is set to replace Sky Sports lead commentator David Croft for the three Formula 1 races he will miss this season.
Croft has been the voice of F1 since Sky won the UK rights from BBC in 2012 and he hasn't missed a single race in that time. However, ahead of 24 races in 40 weeks in 2014 - one more than last season - Croft will step back from three grand prix weekends to manage his responsibilities, according to The Independent.
Benjamin, an F1 broadcaster for BBC Radio 5 Live, also worked on Sky's coverage of F1 Juniors last year. He will replace Croft at Imola in May, Austria in June and Azerbaijan in September.
Speaking on his decision to not commentate on three places, Croft told the Independent: "It's more about keeping fresh for the whole season. I'm not getting any younger.
"I've given up and sacrificed a lot for my career. I want to give a bit of time back to my family and not be on the other side of the world. I’m getting married this year as well, so I’ve got a wedding to organise!
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"But I also want to sit and watch a race at home. I want to enjoy it. Maybe I can learn something by not commentating on a race. I can spot a few things when I’m watching – I want to see what the viewer sees."
Before moving to Sky, Croft was 5 Live's commentator between 2006 and 2011 and missed just one race in that period for the birth of his son. He has covered more than 350 races in his career and will still be present at 21 races, with the upcoming season starting in Bahrain next weekend.
David Croft with George Russell in October (Getty Images)Meanwhile, Croft also called for F1 bosses to tweak the end-of-season schedule, with a triple-header of races in Las Vegas, Qatar and Abu Dhabi on the agenda. "The triple headers do take their toll, you can be pretty exhausted by the end of it," he said.
“The one time-shift you could really do without is Vegas to Qatar. I’d like to see Vegas change its times a bit. A 12-hour shift in time-zones – you can’t do more than that on this planet. Abu Dhabi last year was exhausting. I think that’s something which could be addressed.
"But we'll see what 24 [races] is like. It’s uncharted territory. It will be a huge effort for everybody. If we have a close season on track, the adrenaline carries you along a little bit. If the title’s wrapped up early, then it can be a bit ‘another race, another race’ so we’ll see."