Axed F1 driver tipped as perfect Sky Sports replacement for Damon Hill

Johnny Herbert believes the recently-axed Daniel Ricciardo would be an ideal replacement for Damon Hill at Sky Sports F1.

1996 world champion Hill, who has been a key part of the punditry team at Sky since they took over F1’s broadcasting rights in the UK in 2012, recently announced his shock departure following the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.

Former colleague and fellow ex-F1 driver Herbert reckons Sky should try to tempt Ricciardo into a television role now that his grand prix career appears to be over after he lost his RB seat to Liam Lawson.

“Daniel Ricciardo [would be my pick to join the F1 Sky team],” Herbert told FlashscoreUSA.com.

“He has the experience, the smiley face, is telegenic and is very popular. He has a nice demeanour and a very good way of sharing the experience that he has had.

“He has had good and bad times too. All those experiences are what people want to hear about. Daniel would be a good addition.”

Herbert revealed that Hill was unhappy with the abuse he received on social media after recent criticism of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.

“Damon Hill has been saying ever since he started in 2012 that he wondered why he was doing the punditry,” Herbert explained.

“Every year he said he wasn’t sure whether he would do it again. And every year for the next 12 he came back! I don’t know whether it was his decision or Sky’s, to be honest.

“Was it an enjoyment factor? Potentially. I know he got criticism for the Max scenarios and maybe he felt, ‘You know what I don’t need that.’  There is change going on. If he was pushed, then you wonder what could happen to Martin Brundle and David Croft.

“He was very unhappy at the crazy level of abuse he got over his Max comments. Damon has a son with Down’s Syndrome and he does a lot of work for the Halow Project. A lot of the hate I was getting for my criticism of Max’s driving came through social media channels linked to the charity. That was ridiculous.

“People were going through the Halow charity Instagram account to get to me. Maybe all that negativity made him decide. My critics also used the BRDC account to get to me about the time penalties, qualifying in Brazil, and starting low down the grid. We were accused of being biased against Max.”