Formula 1: Sky Sports set for rare broadcast booth change at Baku

Prior to the start of the 2024 Formula 1 season, a total of 243 Grands Prix had been contested since Sky Sports acquired the rights to Formula 1 race weekend broadcasts from the BBC in 2012. None of those 243 race weekends were contested without David Croft serving as Sky Sports' lead announcer.

In fact, going back to the start of the Stevenage, United Kingdom's broadcasting career in 1998, he had only missed one race weekend entering the year. He was unable to be present at the Nürburgring for the 2007 European Grand Prix, due to the birth of his son.

But Crofty entered the record-breaking 24-race 2024 season with three planned absences built in to his schedule. The first took place at Imola Circuit during Emilia Romagna Grand Prix weekend back in May.

Harry Benjamin, who led last year's Sky Sports F1 Kids broadcast, filled in for the season's seventh race, which was Sky Sports' 250th. With such big shoes to fill, he did a respectable job in his Formula 1 broadcast booth debut.

Harry Benjamin returns for Baku

Benjamin also filled in for Crofty during Austrian Grand Prix weekend at the Red Bull Ring in late June, four races later. That weekend was also a sprint weekend, marking Croft's first ever absence from a sprint race.

Now Benjamin is set to fill in again this weekend for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. The 17th race on the 2024 schedule is slated to be a 51-lap race around the 20-turn, 3.73-mile (6.003-kilometer) Baku City Circuit temporary street circuit in Azadliq Square, Baku, Azerbaijan.

This race, which had been run toward the start of the season in years past, is the third and final race on this year's calendar which Croft is scheduled to miss.

Tune in to ESPN this Sunday, September 15 at 6:55 a.m. ET for the live broadcast of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix from Baku City Circuit. Start a free trial of FuboTV now and don't miss any of the action!