Ben Edwards (commentator)
Benjamin Hugh Railton Edwards is a British motor racing commentator employed by Formula One, and formerly employed by Channel 4. In the past, he has voiced television coverage of Formula One, Superleague Formula and the British Touring Car Championship, in addition to Formula One DVD Reviews for Duke Video. After spending well over a decade working for networks including Eurosport, ESPN, ITV and F1 Digital +, he was named the BBC's lead TV commentator on its Formula One coverage from 2012 in December 2011. He is known for his enthusiastic and energetic commentary style. In 2022, Edwards was one of the commentators for F1TV’s Formula One racing coverage. As of June 2023, he will also assume a role as one of the main commentators in respect of Formula E.
Edwards is not to be confused with the Pick-up Truck racer of the same name.
Career
Starting out
Brought up in Surrey, Edwards studied at Reigate Grammar School for five years. Edwards first started out in motorsport as a mechanic for Formula Ford teams in 1982, before beginning a career as a racing driver. He won the first Formula First championship, a now defunct championship for new drivers, and went to become champion in Caterham-Vauxhall sports cars. He also took part in the Euro Vauxhall Lotus championship where he raced against the likes of David Coulthard, who is now his co-commentator, and Mika Häkkinen.Edwards contested the last ever Willhire 24 Hours in a Ford Escort in 1994.
Edwards first started commentating after enjoying his experience teaching racing at Brands Hatch and Snetterton. His first commentary position was for the BBC with Tiff Needell, but he became known to British viewers through his Formula One commentary on Eurosport. He was usually partnered with former Formula One race winner John Watson.
Champ Car
When Eurosport lost the rights to Formula One at the end of 1996, Edwards became the voice of Champ Car racing for viewers of Eurosport and ESPN International, also carried by Channel 5. His work alongside Jeremy Shaw was regarded as a big success.Although Edwards was very popular with the viewers, he gradually became tired of commuting from Britain to the United States for every race. He considered moving permanently to the United States.
In 2001, Edwards was replaced by Guy Hobbs as the main Champ Car commentator, but he did commentate for the races in Japan, Detroit, Mid-Ohio, Germany, Houston and Australia when Hobbs had other commitments, and at the Rockingham Motor Speedway race.
Return to England
In 2002, Edwards joined ITV to commentate on the British Touring Car Championship. He also took on the role of lead commentator for F1 Digital +, and was reunited with his old colleague, John Watson. F1 Digital + finished at the end of the 2002 season, but since 2005, Watson and Edwards have been working together on Sky Sports and the international feed for A1 Grand Prix.On occasions when British Touring Car Championship and A1 Grand Prix races clashed, Edwards was replaced on ITV by John Hindhaugh.
Edwards has also commentated on other motorsport events for Eurosport and British TV, including coverage of the British Formula Three Championship, and the Superleague Formula series.
BBC F1
On 13 December 2011, it was confirmed that Edwards would replace Martin Brundle as the BBC's lead commentator for Formula One in 2012, working alongside David Coulthard. Toby Moody took Edwards' place for the BTCC in 2012. Edwards worked across BBC TV, Radio and online. Edwards made a one-off return to the BBC in 2021 for the 2021 Spanish Grand Prix, commentating on BBC Radio 5 Live, filling in for Jack Nicholls. He also replaced Nicholls for the 2021 French Grand Prix.Following Nicholls's departure from the BBC following allegations of inappropriate behaviour in 2023, Edwards has been one of the BBC's and F1 Radio rotating lead commentators.