Sky F1 star in health update as presenter disappears from lineup

A Sky Sports star’s absence from the Australian Grand Prix has been explained in a health update delivered by one of their Formula 1 colleagues.

Audiences may be familiar with Sky Sports F1’s lineup in the UK, with commentators such as David Croft and Martin Brundle not only household names nationally, but also across the world.

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Brundle is known for his pre-race Grid Walk, where he often encounters celebrities and it is 50/50 whether his advances for an interview will be spurned or welcomed.

However, Sky’s F1 broadcast operations reach beyond the UK, and have their own operations in countries such as Germany and Italy.

Sky Germany F1 presenters disappears live on air

During F1’s season opening race at the Australian Grand Prix, long-term Sky Germany reporter Sandra Baumgartner went missing midway through the broadcast.

The German journalist has reported live from the F1 paddock since 2012, where she became a pit lane reporter for Sky Deutschland.

However, after conducting driver interviews as normal in Melbourne, viewers suddenly spotted her missing from the broadcast, with her colleague Peter Hardenacke clarifying after the race that she was unwell.

"Some of you will miss Sandra. We will! She said goodbye during the race. She's not feeling well. She already had a headache yesterday after the first day and qualifying," he said.

"Best wishes, Sandra! Get well soon."

“We hope you'll be back hosting the warm-up for the Chinese Grand Prix on Thursday at the latest."

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A post shared by Sandra Baumgartner (@f1sandrabaumgartner)

Baumgartner’s illness was thankfully not serious with the reporter confirming on her Instagram that she had picked up a virus and that she will be back in China for Thursday’s warm up.

“Melbourne was great until the virus got me,” she wrote.

“I'll be back on Thursday for the warm up for China. My next local race is Bahrain and not due to illness, that was already planned.”

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