Martin Brundle’s grid walk has become a staple of Formula 1’s pre-race coverage in the United Kingdom.
Brundle was a successful F1 driver in the 1990s, scoring nine podiums, and switched to broadcasting in 1997 after his racing career came to an end. He started doing his grid walks that very same year.
He typically speaks to drivers, team personnel and a handful of celebrities who have attended the race. Inevitably, given that the interviews take place ad hoc on live television, there have been several awkward encounters over the past 29 years.
“There’s a reason why I’ve never watched back an F1 gridwalk in a quarter of a century of doing them,” Brundle wrote on X in 2022.
“You have no idea how much I dislike doing them but somehow those crazy moments have defined my professional career. Oh well, that’s the way it is.”
Martin Brundle had a frosty exchange with Kylian Mbappe’s security at Monaco Grand Prix
At the 2024 Monaco Grand Prix, Brundle tried to interview Kylian Mbappe, who was about to complete his move from Paris Saint-Germain to Real Madrid.
While Brundle eventually managed to get an answer from the French football superstar, he had to be assertive with a reluctant member of Mbappe’s security first.
“It’s alright mate, I’m in charge around here,” he said. “I think he’s happy to talk.”
Given the nature of the circuit and the event, the Monaco grid is always extremely claustrophobic. The same is true of Miami, one of the favourite landing spots for celebrities looking to attend F1 races.
When the sport first visited the venue, Brundle mistook Orlando Magic basketball player Paolo Banchero for Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
“It’s not Patrick, that’s why he ignored me in the beginning,” he said when he realised his error.
At the same race, Brundle had difficulty trying to interview tennis icon Venus Williams as she and sister Serena made their way down the grid.
“We love having Lewis and all the drivers in Miami, so wishing them luck. It’s the first time of many,” she said before a long silence. “What’s the question?”
Megan Thee Stallion’s entourage clashed with Martin Brundle in Austin
In addition to high-profile athletes, Brundle has unsuccessfully tried to interview some A-listers from the world of entertainment.
After approaching model and actress Cara Delevingne at the 2023 British Grand Prix, he said: “She doesn’t want to talk? Everybody needs to talk on the grid.
“That’s the deal now. Everybody talks. Can we have a quick chat, Sky F1? Good to see you on the grid.”
A hesitant Delevingne replied: “I can’t hear anything.”
Perhaps most notably of all, Brundle was rebuked by a member of Megan Thee Stallion’s entourage after a brief exchange at the 2021 United States GP. When his behaviour was criticised, he replied: “I can do that, because I did.”