Sky Sports F1 issues statement on Damon Hill exit after lengthy talks over his future

Mirror Sport understands that, portion Damon Hill's abrupt announcement connected Friday was a daze to Formula 1 fans, Sky Sports bosses were alert that helium could permission their line-up

Sky Sports bosses person reacted to the bombshell quality that Damon Hill is leaving their Formula 1 punditry team.

The 1996 F1 champion announced abruptly connected Friday greeting that helium would nary longer beryllium appearing connected their broadcasts. His exit volition bring to an extremity a lengthy stint arsenic a rotating pundit for Sky which dates backmost to erstwhile the broadcaster archetypal won the rights successful the UK up of the 2012 season

Hill wrote connected societal media: "It's been a fantastic 13 years with Sky Sports F1 but each bully things travel to an end. I volition miss the astir awesome clump of professionals it has ever been my pleasance to person worked with. Looking guardant to caller challenges."

It is presently unclear whose determination it was for the erstwhile F1 racer to depart from the punditry team. When Mirror Sport approached Sky Sports, the pursuing remark from the broadcaster's manager of F1 was issued.

He said: "We convey Damon Hill for 13 unthinkable years with the Sky Sports F1 team, wherever helium has been an integral portion of our coverage, bringing unparalleled insight, expertise, and passionateness to our broadcasts. His unsocial perspective, shaped by his ain legendary racing career, has entertained and excited fans worldwide. We privation him each the champion successful his adjacent chapter."

Mirror Sport understands that Hill's abrupt announcement was nary astonishment to Sky Sports chiefs. The erstwhile racer had been successful discussions with the broadcaster for immoderate clip implicit his future, until the determination was reached to portion ways.

Hill, 64, is 1 of Britain's astir palmy racing stars and won the 1996 F1 rubric with Williams. He was named BBC Sports Personality of the Year that December, having won the aforesaid grant 2 years earlier aft helium was infamously denied the title 2 seasons earlier by a arguable determination from rival Michael Schumacher.

He took 22 victories and stood connected the podium 42 times successful 115 starts earlier retiring successful 1999. He is the lad of Graham Hill who won 2 F1 championships successful the 1960s earlier helium was killed successful a level clang successful November 1975, erstwhile Damon was conscionable 15.

The announcement comes aft Hill declared that helium and erstwhile rival Schumacher "hated" each different erstwhile competing. "Michael and I really got connected well, but connected the way we hated each other. It was and is not imaginable to beryllium immoderate different mode if you privation to go F1 champion," helium told Bild.

"There was nary country for niceties. You person to exploit each weakness of your hostile and deterioration him down with it. Michael was a maestro of intelligence games. He made maine consciousness similar I was useless and untalented. And helium told the property that too. Because helium won a batch of races backmost then, determination was nary crushed not to judge him."