Sky F1 presenter recalls terrifying first interview with Michael Schumacher
“I cannot tell you how scared I was of interviewing him. It was a joke.”
Sky Sports F1 presenter Natalie Pinkham has admitted she was “scared” of interviewing Michael Schumacher ahead of her first season covering the sport.
Pinkham has been an integral part of Sky Sports’ F1 coverage since 2012 when they acquired the TV rights in the UK.
Her role has typically been centred around interviewing drivers after races as part of Sky’s post-race coverage.
2012 was Schumacher’s final season in the sport with Mercedes.
Having qualified fourth at Albert Park, Schumacher was forced to retire from the race prematurely due to a technical issue.
Speaking on The Red Flags podcast, Pinkham reflected on her first interview with the seven-time world champion and how it ended up being a terrifying encounter.
“The hardest would have been Michael Schumacher,” she said. “I cannot tell you how scared I was of interviewing him. It was a joke.
“That was my very, very first interview ever in Formula 1 was with Michael Schumacher. It was the Australian Grand Prix and he finished his race prematurely.
“They were just in my ear and I inadvertently grabbed him. I don’t know what the hell I was doing but I just grabbed him.I was squeezing his arm and he looked down at his arm and looked back at me to say ‘why are you touching me?’.
“I was then like ‘Oh, I am so sorry’. At this point I am live. That was such a baptism of fire. It was ridiculous.”
Schumacher’s unfortunate final F1 season
Schumacher’s final season with Mercedes was tarnished by bad luck.
After being comprehensively out-performed by Nico Rosberg in 2010 and 2011, 2012 was his most competitive.
Even at 43, Schumacher proved he still had the speed and ability to compete with the very best in F1.
Schumacher famously took pole position for the Monaco GP, but due to a lingering grid penalty, had to start the race from sixth on the grid.
He would stand on the podium one more time, though, finishing third at the European Grand Prix.
His retirement paved the way for Lewis Hamilton’s arrival in 2013 ahead of Mercedes’ years of dominance.
With a sharp eye for F1’s controversies and storylines, Connor is the heartbeat of our unbiased reporting.
