NAOMI SCHIFF is set to be apart of Sky Sports' F1 presenting team ahead of the new F1 season.
Schiff will be joined by the likes of Jenson Button, Karun Chandhok and Ted Kravitz.
The 2023 F1 season is season is set to get underway with the Bahrain Grand Prix the first in the calendar.
Practice laps begin from Friday, March 3rd.
Then qualifying from 3pm on Saturday, March 4th – with the Bahrain GP kicking off on Sunday, March 5th.
Who is Naomi Schiff?
Born in Antwerp, Belgium, to a Belgian father and Rwandan mother, Schiff grew up in South Africa.
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She started racing at just 16 in the Southern African Formula Volkswagen, finishing her opening season in 17th place.
She won the 2014 Clio Cup China Series in 2014 with seven wins from ten races.
Her success earned her a spot in the GT4 European Series the following year, alongside the gruelling 24 Hours of Nurburgring in 2018, widely considered one of the toughest in the world alongside Le Mans.
In 2019, Schiff joined the W Series, for whom she is diversity and inclusion ambassador, and was a reserve last season.
F1 fans might have caught their first glimpse of Naomi back in February when she presented the Mercedes team car launch alongside Natalie Pinkham.
She then appeared as co-host of the new Sky Sports F1 show Any Driven Monday, which is available on YouTube, and joined the 2022 Sky Sports F1 team.
Yet it was this appearance that first prompted the trolls to voice their opinions, with one writing: "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."
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When does the F1 2023 season start, and what is the driver line-up
Schiff responded with three yawning emojis, visibly showing her boredom at such unnecessary abuse.
After the abuse, and Lewis Hamilton defending her, Schiff posted a statement thanking those who had stuck up for her.
She wrote on Twitter: "Thank you to everyone who has come to my defence.
"I appreciate all the love and support, none of you go unnoticed! Sadly the issue of online bullying, bashing, shaming etc. is one I don't believe is going anywhere anytime soon.
"Social media, in some cases, gives voices to individuals who don't deserve to be heard. So I encourage anyone reading this to not indulge in it or retaliate or seek revenge.
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"Remember that your words do have impact and that therefore we should do something positive with these platforms and be kind to one another."
Schiff added that she would not "let anyone turn down my ambition or passion because they are uncomfortable with the volume".
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