Rachel Brookes opened up about her exit from Sky F1 after more than a decade with the broadcaster, and it turns out the departure wasn't nearly as abrupt as it seemed. While the announcement caught people off guard, Brookes had the chance to say proper goodbyes to paddock figures and drivers before her exit was made public. The broadcasting legend revealed some genuinely touching moments with some of F1's biggest names.

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When discussing her final days at Sky, Brookes spoke fondly about a conversation with Lewis Hamilton. The Mercedes driver was exactly what you'd expect him to be, according to Brookes, really supportive and lovely throughout their chat. She kept the details close to her chest but mentioned that photographers captured a brilliant moment where Hamilton gave her a massive hug and told her, 'I hope I see you back in the paddock soon.' It was a classy way for one of F1's greatest to mark her departure.

Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc also made sure Brookes felt valued. When she was finishing up interviews in Canada, Leclerc spotted her and didn't say a word, just gave her what she described as the biggest hug. Someone had clearly filled him in about her situation. Brookes also received video messages from a couple of other drivers who got in touch after she'd already left, saying they'd miss having her around the paddock.

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Brookes emphasized that the F1 paddock genuinely is like a family, and she was genuinely overwhelmed by how much people cared about her leaving. She had fourteen and a half years in what she called the best job in the world, and the response from teams, drivers, and staff showed how much respect she'd earned. She also backed Sky's transition, noting that colleague Craig Slater was ready to step up and would do a fantastic job taking on her responsibilities.

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Her departure marks the end of an era at Sky F1, but Brookes leaves with clearly warm relationships and genuine affection from the paddock community. The way drivers like Hamilton and Leclerc took time to acknowledge her speaks volumes about her professionalism and the respect she'd built over more than a decade covering the sport.

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