“Nocturnal” Danica Patrick Dazzles Her Followers As soon as Once more as She Faces the Demons of Her F1 Commitments

Danica Patrick turned heads on the 2024 Las Vegas Grand Prix—not only for her insights on Sky Sports activities F1 but additionally for her glamorous Instagram photograph dump that showcased her weekend in Sin Metropolis. The previous IndyCar and NASCAR star, now a pundit for Method 1, shared highlights of her time on the glitzy occasion, leaving her followers thrilled by her presence off the monitor. Nonetheless, the thrill round Patrick hasn’t all been glowing, with criticisms of her punditry persevering with to shadow her appearances.

A glamorous weekend amid followers’ cheers

The evening race on the long-lasting Vegas Strip made headlines as Max Verstappen clinched his fourth consecutive world title, however Patrick’s weekend schedule wasn’t with out its challenges. The late-night timings—races beginning at 10 PM and wrapping round midnight—remodeled her routine. As she quipped on Instagram, “I’m now nocturnal after that schedule 🤪 however we had loads of enjoyable!!!!!” alongside images of her black-and-gold ensemble and snapshots with F1 legends like Martin Brundle, Jenson Button, in addition to Ted Kravitz.

Patrick’s Instagram put up drew loads of admiration. One fan gushed, “Your outfit appears to match your effervescent character,” whereas one other proclaimed her “essentially the most stunning bada— within the biz.” Her position as a visual and interesting commentator has endeared her to many American followers, particularly with the game’s rising U.S. viewers.

The Las Vegas Grand Prix was a spectacle, from the dazzling neon-lit backdrop to George Russell’s commanding victory. Lewis Hamilton clawed his technique to second after a tough qualifying beginning him in P10. Regardless of Verstappen’s continued dominance, the race itself mirrored a season during which McLaren, Ferrari, and Mercedes have challenged Crimson Bull extra successfully than in previous years, injecting much-needed unpredictability into F1.

Patrick’s vigorous pit lane presence introduced further aptitude to the printed. But her weekend wasn’t all clean racing. On-line, whereas some praised her vitality, others raised eyebrows about her position within the Sky Sports activities crew, notably within the wake of Damon Hill’s sudden departure.

Critics query Patrick’s commentary credentials

Earlier this month, Damon Hill, the 1996 Method 1 World Champion and a longtime Sky Sports activities pundit, introduced his departure from the printed crew. His farewell sparked a wave of nostalgia and frustration, notably as Danica Patrick stays part of the lineup. Followers took to social media to vent their disbelief at what they noticed as an unfair alternate of expertise.

“Sky Sports activities is a joke,” wrote one consumer. “Danica Patrick remains to be employed by them, however Damon Hill will get let go?” One other quipped, “Dropping the nice Damon Hill however holding Danica Patrick? Insanity.”

Whereas Hill’s polished commentary and deep technical evaluation earned widespread respect, Danica Patrick has confronted repeated criticism for her perceived lack of depth and controversial statements. One in all her extra notorious remarks, the place she steered that the aggressive nature of F1 isn’t “regular in a female thoughts,” nonetheless attracts backlash. Detractors have described her commentary as overly simplistic and out of contact with the technical nuances anticipated in F1 punditry.

Others identified her podcast, Fairly Intense, the place Patrick has hosted local weather change denier friends—an uncomfortable juxtaposition with Method 1’s acknowledged objectives of attaining carbon neutrality by 2030. This contradiction hasn’t gone unnoticed by followers, notably as outstanding figures like Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel advocate for sustainability inside the sport.

The choice to maintain Patrick on, notably for races within the U.S., appears to stem from her attraction to the rising American market. As F1 continues its push into the States with races in Miami, Austin, and now Las Vegas, Patrick offers a well-known face to U.S. audiences. Nonetheless, not all followers are satisfied this justifies her place on the printed crew.

“Damon Hill leaving Sky Sports activities F1 whereas holding Danica Patrick is a little bit of a head-scratcher,” one fan wrote. “I’d quite hear Hill’s commentary and previous tales than Danica’s repetitive evaluation.”

Whereas Patrick’s critics could also be vocal, her star energy and connection to a broader, maybe much less hardcore, viewers stay simple, therefore her presence. Her photograph dump from Las Vegas showcased a pundit who’s embraced the highlight as a presenter and a classy one at that. However because the F1 fanbase grows and diversifies, so do their expectations for insightful and nuanced commentary.

Patrick’s position at Sky Sports activities F1 will not be universally beloved, nevertheless it undeniably retains her within the dialog.