Martin Brundle apologises for missing celebrities during British GP grid walk

Martin Brundle has apologised for “rushing past” some celebrities during his trademark grid walk ahead of last weekend’s Formula 1 British Grand Prix.

Brundle’s pre-race segment has become one of the most recognisable features of Sky Sports F1’s coverage, with the former grand prix driver strolling the starting grid to grab quick interviews with drivers, team bosses and VIP guests.

With F1 attracting a growing number of A-list personalities under Liberty Media’s ownership, the grid has become increasingly crowded with celebrities from across sport, film, music and fashion.

Brundle typically balances interviews with those directly involved in the race and those attending as guests, but his grid walks have occasionally gone viral for more awkward celebrity encounters, particularly when guests appear disinterested or uncooperative.

At Silverstone, some fans noticed that the 66-year-old walked past actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson twice without acknowledging him. The moment sparked discussion online, with some users highlighting the issue on X (formerly Twitter).

In his post-race Sky Sports column, Brundle addressed the issue with his trademark humour, admitting it’s becoming increasingly difficult to keep up with every notable face on the grid.

“The grid walk was reasonable fun,” Brundle wrote.

“Apologies to any famous and high-achieving people I rushed past and failed to chat to. I’m afraid I have limited capacity to walk, talk, think, listen and meanwhile check out the faces of hundreds of people to see who they are.

“I had a few hits on the head in my former career, and so I need a new Google search and AI chips inserted because my brain still runs on floppy disks.”