SKY SPORTS F1 PRESENTER RACHEL BROOKES IS FORCED TO MISS AZERBAIJAN GP AS SHE UNDERGOES EMERGENCY APPENDIX SURGERY AFTER FALLING ILL IN BAKU

Rachel Brookes landed in Baku on Tuesday ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix
However, she was forced to undergo emergency surgery on the eve of the race

Sky Sports F1 presenter Rachel Brookes was forced to pull out from coverage of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix after undergoing an emergency appendix surgery.

Brookes has been a regular on Sky's Formula One coverage for over a decade and was due to take to the camera once again this weekend.

However, she was an absentee from TV screens as she was forced to undergo a surgery after suffering pain upon landing in the country on Tuesday.

The 50-year-old took to social media to explain her absence and thanked a number of people for their support and treatment.

Brooked wrote on Instagram: 'So I landed here Tuesday night and felt poorly. Thought it was just nasty food poisoning but yesterday found out that I had appendicitis and needed surgery.

'I've had the appendectomy and all good. Just want to say a massive thanks to all my colleagues at Sky Sports F1 for stepping up, stepping in to cover and sending me so many messages. We really do have the best team!

'And also to Sky as a company for pulling out all the stops to get me the best care and flying out my sister for support. So, basically, that's why I wasn't on the coverage this weekend... see you all in Texas.'

In another post on her Instagram story, she added: 'And the hugest of thank yous to the amazing staff at Liv Bona Dea hospital in Baku.

'I could not have felt in safer hands. From my surgeon, Elgun, to my anaesthetist, Madina, to all the nurses who downloaded Translate so we could communicate.

'To Ayshan, Yazgul, Shovgia, Humay and Osman - you were more than any patient could wish for. Also to Formula Medicine and all the medical staff at the Baku Circuit, you were fantastic.'

As well as Brookes, Sky's regular F1 commentator David Croft was also absent in Baku as he is currently away on his honeymoon after recently getting married.

2024-09-15T12:06:56Z dg43tfdfdgfd