Naomi Schiff is a familiar face to Formula 1 fans as she co-hosts all the action from the motorsport as part of the Sky Sports presenting team
Popular among F1 fans and a key figure in Sky Sports’ presenting team, Naomi Schiff will be at the forefront of this weekend’s racing excitement as they showcase the much-anticipated British Grand Prix at Silverstone.
Racing enthusiasts will witness home hero Lewis Hamilton make his premier appearance at Silverstone as a Ferrari driver, while Lando Norris aims to forge ahead in his quest for the 2025 world championship title, rivalling teammate Oscar Piastri.
Naomi, a retired racing driver herself, is set to deliver all the electrifying updates from the event to eager viewers. The presenter, who hails from Belgium, has Rwandan and Belgian heritage and grew up in South Africa, has transitioned from her racing pursuits to television presenting.
Now at 31 years old, not only is Naomi thriving in her new role, but she’s also embracing the joy of impending motherhood with her French husband Alexandre Dedieu. We delve into her life beyond the screen…
Marriage and baby news
Naomi celebrated her marriage to Alexandre in 2024 with two ceremonies – a modest official exchange and big wedding, reports the Express.
After their civil union in September, Naomi expressed her joy on Instagram, sharing pictures and writing: “Officially Mr. & Mrs. ‘Oui’ was never in doubt, it’s always been you. So grateful for this beautiful moment and excited for forever. Can’t wait to celebrate our big day in the days to come!”
Naomi shared breath-taking snaps in a bridal white dress and long veil from her wedding, posting: “From unforgettable moments to cherished memories, our wedding day was everything we dreamed of and more. Thank you to everyone who celebrated with us, filling our day with laughter, love, and joy.”
Not long after their nuptials, Naomi thrilled her followers with news that she’s expecting, unveiling her bump in a clip with the caption: “Been keeping the tiniest little secret.”
In May, she revealed she was “halfway” to greeting their bundle of joy.
F1 absences explained
Whilst Naomi is set to embrace maternity leave soon, spectators have noted her sporadic absences at races.
Given this year’s packed F1 schedule with 24 races, Sky Sports F1’s large presenting roster means some faces will naturally be missing from time to time. Despite the varied presenter lineup, Naomi is slated to cover 12 races for Sky.
During an Instagram Q&A session, Naomi addressed whether she picks which weekends she’s on, saying: “The @skysportsf1 on-screen team is pretty big. So, it’s about being able to split races amongst everyone both numbers-wise but also geographically”.
She pointed out that scheduling can be tricky due to personal commitments that jostle for attention within the Sky Sports F1 presenting crew’s annual calendars.
Bond with Lewis Hamilton
Naomi’s bond with F1 legend Lewis Hamilton has seen the driver step up to defend her during times of controversy.
When Naomi ventured into presenting at the Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team car launch and co-hosted Sky Sports F1 show Any Driven Monday in 2022, a critic doubted her suitability for the role, according to The Sun.
The sceptic posted: “Meet Naomi Schiff, Sky Sports latest Formula 1 commentator. Can you guess what her main qualification for the job is? Hint: It isn’t Formula 1 experience.”
Naomi retorted with three yawning emojis to express her indifference to the criticism. Champion Lewis Hamilton was quick to come to Naomi’s defence on Twitter (now renamed X), disagreeing with the detractor’s view.
He commented: “Naomi is an ex-professional racing driver & totally qualified to give her opinion as part of the Sky team. She’s been a great asset since joining & we should welcome more representative broadcasting with open arms.
“Still have a long way to go to change these attitudes in sport.”
Sky Sports is hosting coverage of the British Grand Prix throughout the weekend with the race coverage starting on Sunday, July 6 at 1.30pm