Sky F1’s Naomi Schiff has a brand-new paddock pass to hand out — to her son. The presenter and former racer announced the birth of Raphaël, who arrived on October 8, just days after Formula 1 wrapped up in Singapore.
Schiff, 31, has become one of the most recognisable voices on F1 broadcasts since joining Sky Sports ahead of the 2022 season, splitting her time between studio duty, grid chats, and features that have broadened the sport’s reach. She also co-presents for Canal+ in France, a neat fit for someone who’s made a career out of navigating multiple worlds — she holds dual Rwandan-Belgian nationality and speaks with the calm authority of someone who’s lived plenty of racing lives already.
Her announcement came via social media, where she introduced “Raphaël Schiff-Dedieu,” adding a heartfelt note about the new role that’s changed her world. The post quickly drew a wave of love from the paddock. Jenson Button chimed in with a classic “Congratulations guys,” Natalie Pinkham called the post “absolute perfection,” while F1 Academy boss Susie Wolff and Victoria Verstappen — sister of four-time world champion Max — also sent their best.
It’s been a full-on couple of years for Schiff away from the grid, too. She married long-time partner Alexandre Dedieu in September 2024, and in May this year shared that they were expecting their first child. The timing of Raphaël’s arrival — three days after Singapore — feels poetically on-brand for a sport that rarely stops. Life, of course, doesn’t wait for a clean gap in the calendar.
Before TV, Schiff built her credibility the hard way: in a race car. She took a class runner-up finish at the Nürburgring 24 Hours in 2018, then lined up in the inaugural W Series season in 2019, scoring points and finishing 16th overall. When the cameras switched on in 2022, she brought that racer’s perspective with her, helping decode the chaos without talking down to fans who already know their way around a timing screen.
Schiff’s popularity hasn’t happened by accident. She’s become a reliable presence on race weekends — equally comfortable interviewing a pole-sitter, drilling into data, or coaxing a revealing answer in parc fermé. That versatility has made her a staple of Sky’s coverage and a rare bridge between the sport’s hardcore and its newer, broader audience.
There’s no word yet on when she’ll be back on the road. And honestly, the only schedule that matters for now is measured in naps and night feeds. But if recent years have taught us anything, it’s that Schiff has a knack for making tough balancing acts look effortless.
For now, the paddock can wait. The messages of support say plenty: colleagues and fans see in Schiff what we’ve seen on screen since she arrived — warmth, professionalism, and a racer’s backbone. Add “mum” to that list.
Congratulations, Naomi and Alexandre. Welcome, Raphaël.
