F1 fans were left reeling after former NASCAR driver and pundit Danica Patrick returned to the paddock to make an appearance on the Sky Sports broadcast team at the 2025 Miami Grand Prix. The American has been part of the broadcasting team for the last couple of years and was announced to be returning ahead of the 2025 season.
The former IndyCar driver is a controversial figure due to her on and off-track views on topics like politics, racing, etc. She retired from racing at the end of the 2017 season but made a couple of one-off appearances in the 24 Hours of Daytona a year later.
The 43-year-old has attracted criticism from F1 fans for some of her views over the years, with many even questioning the British broadcaster, Sky Sports, for her retention on the roster of pundits.
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F1 fans were once again left fuming after she made her first appearance in 2025 in Miami for Sky Sports. They gave their reactions on X, with one fan claiming:
"Dear Sky Sports, get Danica Patrick off your coverage. No one wants to see her or hear her views. Such a turn-off."
"Only good thing about Danica Patrick on F1 is seeing Jenson Buttons 'Bitch Please Shut the F**k Up' faces."
"WHY THE F**K IS DANICA PATRICK ON MY TV SCREEN. Read the fucking room. No one values her opinion."
Here are some more reactions:
"I'm so glad everyone hates seeing Danica Patrick on our TV screens, she provides nothing, and even to the point that her colleagues don't seem to like it," said a fan.
"I really can't understand why Sky insist on dragging out Danica Patrick for the American races. It can't be a diversity hire, because we have Bernie, Natalie, and Naomi. It can't be knowledge, because she has none. It can't be personality, because she has none," wrote another.
"Nobody, but nobody wants to see or listen to Patrick. Is she blackmailing someone in the team or something," asked another.
The former NASCAR driver had previously commented that she did not believe F1 would have a female racing driver due to the lack of strength.
Former F1 driver rubbished Danica Patrick's claims
Former McLaren driver David Coulthard stated that he was confident that the F1 world would have a female racing driver and rubbished claims of a lack of strength in girls as a factor stopping them.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, the former Red Bull driver said:
“Of course it will happen. Without question. It’s utter bulls*** that women don’t have the strength to do it. Anyone who doesn’t train doesn’t have what it takes to perform in motor racing — whether you’re a man or a woman.”
The American usually covers the North American leg of races for Sky Sports and could be seen in Montreal after Miami.
