Martin Brundle has confessed that he’s always on the edge of ‘ending his career or being cancelled’.
The Sky Sports pundit is a fans’ favourite and most famous for his beloved pre-race grid walk segments. They have become a fixture of Formula 1 race weekends and have earned him a cult following among British motorsport fans.
Since 1997, when the concept was introduced at the British Grand Prix, Brundle has been doing the grid walk and, nearly three decades later, he’s still going strong. The 65-year-old has interviewed thousands of famous faces, creating many memorable moments along the way.
However, while some celebs earn praise for their love of the sport and respect for Brundle, others have been more hostile and reluctant to chat, leading to awkward situations and, sometimes, getting the nine-time F1 podium finisher into trouble.
Speaking to The Sun about the risks of his job, Brundle said: “I’m one sentence away from the end of my career at all times or being cancelled. I’m terrified of the whole thing because it’s live, and it’s just pure car crash television.
“Machine Gun Kelly, Megan Thee Stallion, I don’t know, getting knocked about by security guards. They’re the ones that people like. And then I meet some really lovely, fascinating, world-class people, politicians and royalty and movie stars, and I’m very privileged with the people I meet on the grid.”
The surge in F1’s popularity, thanks to the Netflix Drive to Survive series, has turned attending Grands Prix into a coveted status symbol, attracting celebs from all spheres to the paddock, hospitality suites, and pre-race grids.
While some stars are genuine enthusiasts or keen newcomers eager to dive into the racing world, others pop by for a quick PR boost or to soak up the event’s buzz without much interest in the sport itself, reports the Express.
Commenting on the diverse mix of personalities at the races, Brundle said: “I understand that. Because we watch Formula 1 year in, year out, racing ourselves, and they’re on the grid and they actually don’t know anything about it, and quite clearly don’t really want to be there. They’re just selling a movie or something. I get that, but for Formula 1, they are A-listers.”
Despite the occasional misstep, like the viral interviews with Cara Delevigne, who faced undue backlash online after declining an interview as instructed by her hosts, and Machine Gun Kelly, there have been genuinely touching moments on the grid. Sam Ryder won over fans with his evident enthusiasm and affection for Brundle, while the Sky Sports F1 analyst formed an unexpected bond with UK rapper Stormzy, even earning a shout-out in one of his songs.
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