Formula 1 fans call for permanent Sky Sports change after China

I've reached the point in my writing career -- and my personal life -- at which I have learned not to engage in any form of social media during a sporting event.

Deactivations of my personal Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter accounts have certainly helped, but even staying off of the media-related pages during live games/races has become second nature. Like, literally, just don't click on the app.

Lack of such a restriction generally results in endless scrolling and reading of commentary that is largely negative and makes it appear as though the sky (no pun intended) is falling. The ability to simply enjoy a sporting event has seemingly become a long-lost art. It's become all about likes, clout, and that seemingly non-stop pursuit of dopamine.

So when I searched "Nico Rosberg" after the Chinese Grand Prix on Twitter/X, I was pleasantly surprised.

I was pleasantly surprised to see that I wasn't the only one who thought his commentary throughout the weekend brought a fresh, much-needed perspective -- that of a former world champion, no less -- to a Sky Sports F1 broadcast booth that, while generally strong regardless, is often ridiculed for its biased takes and pandering to its largely British audience.

Rosberg pulled no punches alongside lead announcer David Croft throughout the weekend, regularly calling out a number of particularly outlandish claims made by both the drivers and the commentators. There was no sugarcoating anything, and he delivered insight on a number of occasions that others who have held the role simply would not have given.

Rosberg, who was nonsensically banned from the 2022 paddock (as evidenced by the fact that he was reinstated in 2023 under modified rules), has been a part of the Sky Sports team since 2018, two years removed from his stunning world championship triumph over now seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton in equal machinery at Mercedes -- and, of course, his retirement the same week.

He is not a full-time member of the team, with a number of other individuals such as Martin Brundle and Jenson Button serving in the same role for select races as well, but his performance in the booth throughout the weekend at Shanghai International Circuit had some questioning whether or not that should change.

Here are just a few examples of the praise heaped toward the 23-time Grand Prix winner over the weekend.

Would Rosberg consider a full-time switch to the booth?

The Miami Grand Prix is the sixth race on the 24-race 2024 Formula 1 schedule. ABC is set to carry Sky Sports' presentation of the event from Miami International Autodrome beginning at 3:55 p.m. ET on Sunday, May 5. Start a free trial of FuboTV and don't miss it!