Martin Brundle is undeniably one of the most famous entities of the Formula 1 industry, solely for his controversial moments with celebrities including the bizarre encounter with Megan Thee Stallion and her entourage at the 2021 US Grand Prix. However, there’s far more to the Briton and his prolonged association with the elite motorsport series than just pre-race grid walks on Sunday afternoons.
Indeed, a majority of the Formula 1 community has seen Brundle walking up and down the grid, engaging in conversations with guests, drivers, and possibly team bosses. But, before his career as an F1 commentator, Brundle embraced the royalty of being a Formula 1 driver. The Sky representative was arguably one of the most promising talents in the late 1980s and the 1990s.
What’s more, Brundle has even worked with some of the best racing outfits, including McLaren, Benetton, and Tyrrell. Here’s a brief summary of Brundle’s decade-long journey as an F1 driver, which includes eight podium finishes and reasonable recognition across the paddock.
Martin Brundle and his early years in F1
Brundle competed with the likes of Sir Stirling Moss and Brazilian legend Ayrton Senna before finding his way up to Formula 1. Interestingly enough, Brundle engaged in a fierce battle with Senna for the Formula 3 championship only to lose it in the dying moments of the final race. Regardless, Brundle earned a seat at Tyrrell Racing Organization in 1984 and managed to stick with the team until 1987.
But, it was quite a turbulent journey with the Surrey-based outfit as Brundle encountered countless disqualifications and even suffered a horrifying crash at the Dallas Grand Prix that nearly destroyed his life, let alone his career. However, even with the permanent injuries, Brundle was able to keep his racing career alive for many years.
Following his years at Tyrrell, Brundle made a move to Brabham where struggles seemed inevitable. But, after three years with underperforming Brabham, Brundle was rewarded with a seat at Benetton in 1992 where the Briton secured a whopping five podiums over a single season.
Shockingly though, even with the promising results throughout the season, Brundle failed to retain his seat for 1993 and instead fell into the hands of Riccardo Patrese. Hence, Brundle secured a drive at Ligier where he secured more points finishes including a podium.
Brundle filled the void of McLaren legend Alain Prost
McLaren had their eyes on Brundle, who was vying to replace Alain Prost, and ultimately managed to do so. The British outfit had a strong line-up of Brundle and Mika Hakkinen. However, it turned out to be a horrifying stint for Brundle as the Briton found himself in the record books for all the wrong reasons.
For the first time in 14 years, McLaren failed to win a race in an entire season and Brundle was a part of that. Of course, the blame doesn’t entirely fall on Brundle, but rather on the car itself which was on a downfall. Regardless, McLaren replaced Brundle with Nigel Mansell. Meanwhile, Brundle returned to Ligier before spending another couple of years at Jordan, bringing his F1 career as a driver to a closure in 1996.
Martin Brundle restarts F1 career as commentator
After ignoring offers from Sauber, Brundle decided to embark on a journey in the Le Mans. But, simultaneously, Brundle also found interest in commentary. Brundle’s first recognition arrived through his 10-year spell at ITV, where he joined the world-famous Murray Walker in the commentary box. And it wasn’t until 2002 that Brundle had a new colleague in James Allen.
Later in 2009, Brundle joined BBC and spent a few years before finally making a switch to Sky Sports in 2012. Brundle has since been an essential part of the Sky Sports commentary alongside David Croft.