As anyone who has watched Sky Sports F1’s coverage of the first pre-season testing has likely already noticed, a familiar and well-liked face has been noticeably absent from the broadcast. Everyone’s favourite British pitlane reporter and the man behind the most unorganized yet insightful post-session show, Ted Kravitz appears to no longer be employed by Sky.
The 44-year-old journalist from London has a career spanning nearly 25 years and he usually wears his trademark cargo shorts. He’s worked for ITV and the BBC as a pit lane reporter. He continued that role when he was hired by Sky Sports F1 ahead of the 2012 season. In addition to providing quality pit lane reporting, he was also the host of Ted’s Notebook, a short segment that briefed viewers on the latest technical details from the pit lane. The segment often seemed disorganized and the sole camera crew member was often blocked by team members while trying to get close up shots of the teams’ cars in the garage.
During the first pre-season test in Barcelona, many Sky Sports F1 viewers noticed the absence of the usual Ted’s Notebook segment that followed each testing day, highlighting the latest action within the teams. Following the launch of the Haas car in early February, Kravitz has maintained social media silence.
Although no official confirmation has been made about the status of Kravitz’s contract by Sky, it’s presumed that the broadcasting giant has opted not to renew his contract for the 2019 season. This is evident from Sky’s promotional article posted this week, which does not mention Ted Kravitz in the staff lineup.
It’s rumored that Kravitz was dropped by the network in favour of hiring Jenson Button and Karun Chandhok. Other reports suggest that the termination is due to a falling out with the new head of Sky Sports F1, Scott Young. Young was appointed to the position at the start of 2018.
It’s uncertain at this time whether Kravitz will be employed by another broadcaster.
