Sky Sports F1 broadcaster and author Rachel Brookes joins Away We Go Podcast for a wide-ranging chat that moves from the chaos (and thrill) of live TV to what it really takes to build a career in elite sports broadcasting. Rachel shares unforgettable paddock moments (including an early run-in with Bernie Ecclestone), how Drive to Survive and Liberty Media changed Formula 1’s reach, and why she wrote F1 Racing Drive for new and long-time fans alike.

We also talk travel: jet lag, race-weekend reality versus the glamorous perception, and the routines that keep Rachel going through a relentless calendar.

Key topics

• Rachel’s early broadcasting career (TalkSport, cricket, and making the leap to Sky)
• Her first Formula 1 paddock day — and the Bernie Ecclestone moment she thought might end it
• How to interview drivers under pressure (and why empathy matters trackside)
• What Liberty Media and Drive to Survive changed for F1 (and what access has been lost)
• Why Rachel wrote F1 Racing Drive — and the surprising research she uncovered while writing it
• Travel realities: jet lag, sleep debt, food on planes, and the hotel–track hamster wheel
• The “Final Three” rapid-fire questions (including favourite race destinations)

Moments you’ll hear

• Why chaos can be the best part of live broadcasting
• The 11-minute live segment in India with champagne poured down Rachel’s back
• The story behind Michael Schumacher’s “mind games” (via Nico Rosberg)
• What makes Max Verstappen’s technique so hard to replicate
• The Presidential Protocol she learnt only after it was too late

Links

Pre-order F1 Racing Drive by Rachel Brookes on Amazon: https://amzn.to/48WkeUx

Follow Rachel Brookes

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rachelbrookes

X: https://x.com/RachelBrookesTV

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@rachelbrookestv

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Keywords

Formula 1, F1, Sky Sports F1, Rachel Brookes, F1 broadcaster, F1 journalist, Drive to Survive, Liberty Media, Bernie Ecclestone, Max Verstappen, Lewis Hamilton, Nico Rosberg, Michael Schumacher, F1 book, F1 Racing Drive, Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Jeddah, motorsport media, travel and sport podcast