Former ITV commentator James Allen confirmed on Thursday that he will lead the Formula One commentary team at BBC Radio 5 Live for the whole of the 2012 season, replacing the Sky Sports-bound David Croft in the role.
Allen is the latest recruit to the BBC Formula One team, which was torn apart by a number of defections to the new-for-2012 Sky coverage of the sport.
He commentated on Formula One for ITV from 2002 until the end of the channel's stint broadcasting the sport in 2008.
Since then, he has continued in Formula One journalism, writing his own blog as well as contributing to Australian television and hosting the post-race press conferences.
Allen is the first member of the BBC's radio team to be confirmed, after all three regular commentators from 2011 - Croft, Anthony Davidson and pit lane reporter Natalie Pinkham - defected to Sky.
The BBC is yet to announce the rest of their radio commentary team for 2012.
"I'm delighted to announce that I am joining the BBC Radio 5 Live team as F1 correspondent and lead commentator this season," Allen wrote on his website.
"I'm really happy about this; 5 live is the default setting on my radio at home and in the car, it's a great institution and I'm proud to be part of it."
He added: "I've never done radio before and I'm really looking forward to adapting to a new medium."
The 5 Live radio station will continue to broadcast full commentary on all of 2012's race weekends, despite the BBC having lost exclusive TV rights to the sport.
From 2012, all 20 race weekends will be shown live on Sky's new dedicated F1 channel, with ten of the races being shown live on the BBC and the rest as highlights programmes.
The BBC has recently confirmed Ben Edwards as their new lead TV commentator, after 2011 commentator Martin Brundle also moved to Sky in order to work alongside Croft and Davidson.
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