Veteran Sky Sports F1 commentator and former racing driver Martin Brundle expressed his immense pleasure at being awarded an OBE in the King`s New Year`s Honours list. He dedicated the honour to his colleagues, acknowledging their crucial role in his success.
Brundle, a nine-time F1 podium finisher, was recognized for his significant services to both motor racing and sports broadcasting. The Prince of Wales presented him with the prestigious award during a ceremony at Windsor Castle on Tuesday.
Having competed in 158 Grands Prix during his racing career, Brundle transitioned to broadcasting and has been an integral part of Sky Sports F1`s coverage since the channel began in 2012.
Reflecting on receiving the award, Brundle stated he felt “very lucky and very privileged.” He emphasized that such an honour is accepted “on behalf of an awful lot of other people because either they were designing and creating and fixing my racing cars, or working with us in the broadcasting industry.” He highlighted that success at the highest level like Formula 1 is a collective effort, adding that he felt fortunate to have had “two careers in F1 as a driver and a broadcaster,” both contributing to the award.
He shared his reaction upon hearing the news: “When the letter came through just before Christmas, I was ecstatic.”
Brundle, now 65, recalled having “plenty to talk about” with the Prince of Wales. He mentioned their first meeting at the 1992 British Grand Prix, where the Prince attended with his mother and brother, meeting the drivers after the briefing.
Their shared connection to West Norfolk, where the Prince spends considerable time, provided common ground for conversation. Brundle noted the Prince shared some other details which he considered private.
Leading figures within Formula 1 publicly congratulated Brundle on his honour. F1 president Stefano Domenicali sent his “Huge congratulations… for services to motor racing and to sports broadcasting,” praising Brundle as a “tireless supporter of motorsport and constant presence and brilliant voice to all our fans over many years.”
Mercedes driver George Russell also joined the well wishes, writing, “Congrats Martin, well deserved. Best in the business!!”
The Popular Grid Walk
Brundle is perhaps most widely known for his distinctive pre-race grid walks, where he navigates the crowded grid just before the start to secure interviews with drivers and celebrities.
He believes the spontaneous and unpredictable nature of these segments is key to their popularity, making viewers feel like they are experiencing the grid walk alongside him.
Brundle explained the core purpose: “We`re only there to tell the story, the stories about the cars and the drivers, and we`re there to explain what is a fast-moving and highly complex sport.” He described the challenging environment, noting how packed the grid can be (“must have been 1,000 people on there in Vegas. I can`t see anybody half the time, sometimes I can`t even see an F1 car”).
Despite the potential for awkward moments or interviews that “fail miserably,” Brundle feels the “bit edgy” nature is why “people are kind of living it, if I`m having a good day or a bad day.”
He admitted that in 27 years of doing them, he has “never watched one,” stating it`s “not my natural habitat to run around being cheeky and interrupting people.” However, the segment “sort of grown a life of its own.”
Its original intent was “to ramp up the excitement before the grand prix.” Brundle concluded by highlighting the unique nature of the feature: “The chance to talk to a driver literally before they pull their crash helmets on and zoom down to the first corner is unique in sport.”
Gilbert Pendleton