Martin Brundle

File:Brundle_Senna_1983.jpg (left) for the lead in the 1983 British Formula Three Championship at Silverstone.]]

Brundle had an unorthodox route to Formula One.{{cite web |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/norfolk/content/articles/2005/11/23/sport_martin_brundle_interview_feature.shtml |title=BBC Norfolk interview (Audio Clip)}} He began his racing career at the age of 12, competing in grass track racing in a self-built Ford Anglia, in the Norfolk village of Pott Row. In 1975, he moved to Hot Rod racing and received 'Star grade' status. In 1977, he debuted in the British Saloon Car Championship just a couple of months short of turning 18, becoming the series' youngest ever driver (until Tom Boardman in 2001). 1979, he started single seater racing in Formula Ford. During this time, he also raced Tom Walkinshaw's BMW touring cars, during which he finished second against a field of international drivers at Snetterton. He won the BMW championship in 1980, and partnered Stirling Moss in the TWR-run BP/Audi team during the 1981 British Saloon Car Championship season. In 1982, he moved up to Formula Three achieving five pole positions and two wins in his debut season. He won the Grovewood Award as the most promising Commonwealth driver.{{cite web|url=http://www.brdc.co.uk/brdcarchive.cfm/flag/2/member_id/128 |title=Martin Brundle BRDC Biography |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090531115003/http://www.brdc.co.uk/brdcarchive.cfm/flag/2/member_id/128 |archive-date=31 May 2009 }} The following year, he competed with Ayrton Senna for the Formula Three championship, which Brundle lost on the final laps of the last race.{{cite web |url=https://www.martinbrundle.com/ |title=Martin Brundle Biography}} In 1984, he was offered a Formula One entry.

His Formula One career began with the Tyrrell Racing Organisation in {{F1|1984}}.{{cite web |url=http://grandprix.com/gpe/drv-brumar.html |title=Drivers Martin Brundle}} He put in a number of aggressive and fast drives, finishing fifth in his first race in Brazil and then second in Detroit before being disqualified. At the 1984 Dallas Grand Prix, Brundle broke his ankles and both feet in a crash during a practice session, and was forced to miss the rest of the season while he recuperated; the severity of the damage to Brundle's left ankle initially led doctors to consider amputating his left foot. While Brundle did recover, the damage would leave him with permanent injuries, preventing him from running and left-foot braking.[https://www.sport.co.uk/features/sportcouk-meetsmartin-brundle/1459 Sport.co.uk meets...Martin Brundle] Later in the year, Tyrrell were disqualified from the World Championship due to a technical infringement and Brundle's achievements for that season were wiped from the record books.File:1985 European GP Brundle 01.jpg]]For the next two seasons he remained with Tyrrell, and despite the team's switch from the Cosworth DFV to the turbocharged Renault engines in mid-{{F1|1985}}, the team struggled against the works teams. He scored only eight points in his time with Tyrrell, all in the {{F1|1986}} season. In {{F1|1987}} he left Tyrrell and moved to the struggling West German team Zakspeed, but scored only two points during the year; both were scored for finishing fifth at the 1987 San Marino Grand Prix. The Zakspeed 871 car was unable to compete with the front runners. The two points scored by Brundle in 1987 were the only points the Zakspeed team scored in their five-year (1985–89) run in Formula One. Ironically, the driver he replaced at Zakspeed, fellow Englishman Jonathan Palmer, would join Tyrrell in 1987 who were once again using a Cosworth engine. While Brundle only had one point scoring finish for the season, Palmer would go on to score six World Championship points for Tyrrell and would also win the Jim Clark Cup as the 'Atmo Champion' for drivers of cars with naturally aspirated engines.

Four years of Formula One racing for underfunded teams led Brundle to seek a new challenge, and thus in 1988 he took a year out. Brundle had been associated with Jaguar since 1983, when he drove TWR-prepared Jaguar XJS touring cars in the European Touring Car Championship. From his two starts with the Jaguar team Brundle took two victories, the second in partnership with TWR owner Tom Walkinshaw. When Jaguar decided to return to the World Sportscar Championship and the American IMSA championship, in partnership with TWR, Walkinshaw chose Brundle as his lead driver. The team performed well in the 1988 World Sportscar Championship season, and Brundle won the world sportscar title with a record points haul.{{cite web|url=http://www.itv-f1.com/ITVTeam_Bio.aspx?name=Martin_Brundle |title=Martin Brundle |author=ITV F1 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081201071629/http://www.itv-f1.com/ITVTeam_Bio.aspx?name=Martin_Brundle |archive-date=1 December 2008 }} He also won the Daytona 24 Hours the same year. He became the test driver for Williams and stood in for Nigel Mansell at the 1988 Belgian Grand Prix, after Mansell was struck down with chickenpox. Brundle was to have driven Mansell's Williams-Judd again at the next race at Monza in Italy but prior IMSA commitments with TWR saw the drive go to fellow World Sportscar Championship contender Jean-Louis Schlesser instead (as no WSC race clashed with the Italian GP). Schlesser would infamously be involved in the incident which caused the retirement of McLaren's Ayrton Senna late in the race, handing the win to Ferrari's Gerhard Berger and causing McLaren's only loss of the {{f1|1988}} season.

File:1989 Belgian GP race start 10.jpg]]

File:Brundle.jpg

In {{F1|1989}} he returned to Formula One full-time with the returning Brabham team who would be running the Judd V8 engine. But while the former champions were initially competitive, with Brundle running third at Monaco until a flat battery forced him to pit for a replacement while his teammate Stefano Modena finishing third, Brabham were unable to recapture their early past success and Brundle, who had failed to pre-qualify for both the Canadian and French races during the season opted to move back into the sports car arena for 1990. His 1990 24 Hours of Le Mans victory rejuvenated his career, but still a top-line race seat in Formula One eluded him. As well as contesting races in sports prototypes, Brundle also contested the American IROC series in 1990. He took victory at the temporary circuit at Burke Lakefront Airport (the only IROC victory for a British driver){{Cite web |last=Fowler |first=Rich |date=2012-02-24 |title=IROC: Where racing worlds collided |url=https://www.motorsportretro.com/2012/02/iroc/ |access-date=2024-03-13 |website=Motorsport Retro |language=en-US}} and finished third in the overall standings. In 1991 he rejoined Brabham, but the squad had fallen even further down the grid and good results were sparse.

File:-1992-07-12 Camel Benetton Ford B192 driven by Martin Brundel, British Grand Prix, Silverstone, England (3).JPG at the 1992 British Grand Prix]]

File:1992 Martin Brundle Racing Suit and Helmet, 1997 Damon Hill Helmet and 2000 Michael Schumacher Helmet (49254927491).jpg

Seasoned observers noticed Brundle's drives into the points in the uncompetitive Brabham Yamaha in 1991, which was the last points finish for the Brabham team. This helped Brundle get a 1992 switch to Benetton, with whom he would finally claim a recognised podium finish and consistent points finishes with some gritty drives.

In 1992 he had a productive season, with a strong finish to the year. He came close to a win at Canada, where having overtaken Schumacher and closing on leader Gerhard Berger, the transmission failed. He never outqualified teammate Michael Schumacher, but made up places with excellent starts (sixth to third at Silverstone), outraced the German at Imola, Montreal, Magny-Cours and Silverstone, and scored a notable second place at Monza. At Spa, Brundle went by when Schumacher went off the track. Schumacher noticed blisters on his teammate's tyres on his return to the circuit and came in for slicks, a move that won him the race. Had Brundle not been distracted he would have pitted as planned at the end of that lap, with victory the most likely result.

File:Martin Brundle - Ligier JS39 during practice for the1993 British Grand Prix (33557361031).jpg at the 1993 British Grand Prix]]

To the shock of the F1 paddock, Brundle found himself dropped from Benetton for 1993, Italian Riccardo Patrese taking his place. He came very close to a seat with world champions Williams, but in the end Damon Hill got the drive instead. Still in demand within F1, Brundle raced for Ligier in 1993. More points finishes and a fine third at Imola were achieved in a car without active suspension. With finishing 7th in the World Drivers' Championship behind the two Williams drivers Alain Prost (1st) and Damon Hill (3rd), McLaren team leader Ayrton Senna (2nd), the Benetton drivers Michael Schumacher (4th) and Riccardo Patrese (5th) and the Ferrari driver Jean Alesi (6th), Brundle was the most successful driver who did not have an active suspension system in his car and Ligier were the most successful team without an active suspension.

File:Martin Brundle - Mclaren MP4-9 at the 1994 British Grand Prix (32418588831).jpg at the 1994 British Grand Prix]]

For 1994 Brundle was in the frame for the vacant McLaren seat alongside Mika Häkkinen. McLaren were hopeful of re-signing Alain Prost, who had retired at the end of 1993 after winning his fourth championship title, but decided not to renege on his retirement in March, and Brundle got the drive, beating out McLaren test driver Philippe Alliot. He was confirmed less than two weeks before the season-opening 1994 Brazilian Grand Prix.{{cite web |url=http://www.teamdan.com/archive/1994/march94.html |title=Motorsport information for March 1994 |publisher=Teamdan.com |access-date=2012-01-03 |archive-date=21 December 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071221201529/http://www.teamdan.com/archive/1994/march94.html |url-status=dead }}

Joining the team was a case of bad timing in many ways. McLaren were on a downturn and throughout 1994 were unable to win a Grand Prix for the first time since {{f1|1980}}. The team's V10 Peugeot engines were unreliable, as was to be expected from a debuting engine supplier. In the first race Brundle narrowly escaped serious injury or worse in a spectacular accident involving Jos Verstappen; his helmet took a heavy blow as the Benetton cartwheeled overhead. At Aida his engine blew whilst running third while at Silverstone his engine appeared to explode just as the starting lights turned green. In reality the culprit was a clutch that cracked spilling its lubricants on top of the hot engine causing a spectacular fire. The engine, once cleaned, worked without problem. Another sure third place was lost on the last lap in Hungary. Nevertheless, when the car was reliable, Brundle put in strong performances that season, most notably at Monaco where he finished second to Schumacher.

File:Martin Brundle 1995 Britain.jpg at the 1995 British Grand Prix.]]

Having had poor luck and with Mansell signed to McLaren for 1995, Brundle once more raced for Ligier that year, although not for the full season. To appease Mugen-Honda he had to share the second seat with Aguri Suzuki, a move denounced by many commentators and fans. He impressed however, with a strong fourth at Magny-Cours and what would be his last F1 podium, at Spa, being the highlights. In 1996 he teamed up with Rubens Barrichello at Jordan and enjoyed a good season, despite a slow start and a spectacular crash at Melbourne's inaugural GP, with regular points, fourth his best result. He finished fifth in the 1996 Japanese Grand Prix, which was his last Grand Prix in Formula One.

Brundle achieved 9 podiums, and scored a total of 98 championship points, with a best championship finish of 6th in 1992. He was especially strong on street circuits and similarly slow-speed, twisty courses – Monaco, Adelaide and the Hungaroring each produced 4 points finishes for him.

{{Update|part=section|date=April 2025}}

Brundle had hoped to stay in F1 beyond 1996, but could not find a seat. He was offered a seat at Sauber in 1997 following the dropping of Nicola Larini, but decided against it. Brundle did however return to Le Mans. Drives for Nissan, Toyota and Bentley impressed, but a second victory failed to materialise. Brundle returned to Le Mans in 2012 but previous to that last raced in 2001, between which he focused on his role with the British Racing Drivers' Club (BRDC).

File:Martin Brundle 2013 British GP.jpg at the 2013 British Grand Prix]]

Having largely retired from motor racing, Brundle became a highly regarded commentator on British television network ITV, whom he joined when they began Formula One coverage in 1997, initially alongside Murray Walker, and from 2002 James Allen. Brundle joined the BBC's commentary team alongside Jonathan Legard when they won back the rights to show F1 from 2009. Before the start of the {{F1|2011}} season, the BBC announced that Brundle was being promoted to lead commentator and would be joined by fellow former F1 driver, David Coulthard.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/9355081.stm|publisher=BBC|date=11 January 2011|access-date=2011-01-11|title=BBC unveils F1 commentary changes}} He signed for Sky Sports' coverage at the end of 2011.{{Cite web |title=Brundle to join Sky |url=https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12433/7341375/brundle-to-join-sky |access-date=2024-06-10 |website=Sky Sports |language=en}} At Sky Brundle returned to a co-commentary role, working alongside lead commentator David Croft.

For his television work Brundle has won the RTS Television Sports Award for best Sports Pundit in 1998, 1999, 2005 and 2006. In 2005 the judges described him as:

{{cquote|An outstanding operator at the very peak of his game – with an extraordinary ability to simplify and entertain in an often complex sport. He also exhibited a fearless authority on some of the most sensitive issues – not least his gimlet-eyed pursuit of Formula one boss Bernie Ecclestone on the grid at Indianapolis.}}

The production company responsible for ITV's F1 coverage, North One Television, also won the Sports Innovation Award for its Insight features, presented by Brundle. His pre-race grid walks are now customary and began at the 1997 British Grand Prix.{{cite web|url=https://www.ausmotive.com/2012/06/22/martin-brundles-first-f1-grid-walk.html|title=Martin Brundle's first F1 grid walk|publisher=AUSmotive|date=22 June 2012|access-date=22 June 2012}} Discussing the return of Formula One to the BBC in 2009, The Times described Brundle "as the greatest TV analyst in this or any other sport."{{cite news |last=Smith |first=Giles |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/columnists/giles_smith/article3594038.ece |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080724064034/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/columnists/giles_smith/article3594038.ece |url-status=dead |archive-date=24 July 2008 |title=Fleetwood Mac make return as television rights go for a song |work=The Times |page=103 |date=21 March 2008 |access-date=2008-03-28 |location=London}}

Before becoming a regular commentator, Brundle was also part of the 1995 BBC commentary team whenever Aguri Suzuki was driving the Ligier-Mugen Honda, such as the 1995 San Marino Grand Prix. He also commentated on Eurosport for a handful of qualifying sessions in 1995.

With Steve Rider busy covering the England versus Kazakhstan 2010 FIFA World Cup Group 6 qualification match, Brundle co-commentated and presented coverage of the 2008 Japanese Grand Prix at Fuji Speedway.

During the commentary of 2023 Spanish Grand Prix, Martin Brundle used the controversial term "Chinaman" to refer to Chinese driver Zhou Guanyu, leading to accusations of racial discrimination against Brundle.{{Cite web |date=7 June 2023 |title=Sky Sports Italia has suspended two of its F1 commentators/pundits after inappropriate joke made on live TV post Spanish GP. |url=https://formularapida.net/sky-sports-suspends-two-f1-commentators-after-inappropriate-joke/ |access-date=2023-06-09 |website=formularapida.net |quote=The Spanish GP weekend saw some people write against Sky Sports UK commentator Martin Brundle too when he referred Zhou Guanyu as ‘Chinaman’, before immediately catching his mistake and correcting his mistake to 'the Chinese driver', while talking about the cosmopolitan situation when he was in a four-way battle.}} Chinese media outlet Global Times wrote to Sky Sports inquiring about the matter. In their reply, Sky Sports stated that Martin Brundle had been reminded to "exercise caution in his language during live broadcasts." Until 5 January 2024, Brundle has not formally apologized or responded to the issue.{{Cite web |date=7 June 2023 |title=中國F1賽車手周冠宇遭解說稱「Chinaman」 英媒道歉:將謹慎措辭 |trans-title=Chinese F1 driver Zhou Guan Yu called "Chinaman" by commentary, British media apologized: will be careful wording |url=https://www.hk01.com/%E5%A4%A7%E5%9C%8B%E5%B0%8F%E4%BA%8B/906067/%E4%B8%AD%E5%9C%8Bf1%E8%B3%BD%E8%BB%8A%E6%89%8B%E5%91%A8%E5%86%A0%E5%AE%87%E9%81%AD%E8%A7%A3%E8%AA%AA%E7%A8%B1-chinaman-%E8%8B%B1%E5%AA%92%E9%81%93%E6%AD%89-%E5%B0%87%E8%AC%B9%E6%85%8E%E6%8E%AA%E8%BE%AD |access-date=2023-06-09 |website=hk01 |language=zh-hant}}

File:Toyota Le Mans in Paris Gallery.jpg which he drove at the 1999 24 Hours of Le Mans]]

File:Bentley-exp8-lemans-2001-lrg.jpg at the 2001 24 Hours of Le Mans]]

Brundle took the wheel of a Jaguar F1 car for the Formula One demonstration in London prior to the 2004 British Grand Prix and drove a BMW Sauber during a demonstration in 2006. Also in 2006, Brundle drove a 2005 Red Bull Racing car around Silverstone as part of ITV's 'F1 Insight' feature. This was followed up in 2007 with Brundle and colleague Blundell both driving Williams F1 cars to demonstrate overtaking.

In 2008 he came out of retirement to drive in the Formula Palmer Audi Championship alongside his son Alex, who was a series regular. He scored three top-eight finishes from the three races in which he took part.{{cite news |title=Brundle shows pace in FPA race |work=Autosport |url=http://www.autosport.com/news/grapevine.php/id/67552 |date=19 May 2008 |access-date=2008-05-19}}

Brundle came out of retirement again to race for United Autosports in the 2011 Daytona 24 Hours, sharing a Ford-powered Riley with Zak Brown, Mark Patterson and former Ligier and Brabham teammate Blundell; the team finished fourth overall.{{cite news| url=http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/89148 | work=Autosport | title=Ganassi takes Daytona one-two |author= Watkins, Gary | date=30 January 2011}}

In June 2011, shortly before the 2011 European Grand Prix, Brundle completed a one-off Formula One test for the series' tyre supplier Pirelli at Jerez. He completed a total of 70 laps on all of their tyre compounds, with the results and events of the day aired before the 2011 Hungarian Grand Prix.

In June 2012, Brundle made a return to competitive racing at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, teaming up with son Alex to race a Greaves Motorsport-run Zytek-Nissan LMP2. His first appearance at the French classic in over a decade, Brundle worked hard to get back into adequate physical condition – using his son's race-training exercise programme for a year in preparation. Their car finished 15th out of the 56 runners and 8th in class, completing 340 laps.{{cite web |title=2012 Mans results - FIA World Endurance Championship |url=https://www.fiawec.com/en/race/result/174 |website=www.fiawec.com |access-date=28 June 2023}}

File:Historic F1-Cars Spielberg 2022 Benetton B192 (1).jpg

Brundle has been involved in driver management, and was David Coulthard's manager until Coulthard retired from racing. He co-owned a management company, 2MB Sports Management, alongside Mark Blundell until January 2009, when he announced his intention to step down in order to focus on his television responsibilities and his son's career.{{cite news |title=Brundle to step back from 2MB role |work=Autosport |url=http://www.autosport.com/news/grapevine.php/id/72636 |date=7 January 2009 |access-date=2009-01-07}} Their clients include McLaren test driver Gary Paffett and British Formula 3 champion Mike Conway.

Brundle presented a documentary on British television in 1998 called Great Escapes, which showed generally live recordings, and occasionally reconstructions, of stories where human beings managed to somehow survive in face of various dangers or perils. It ran for one series on ITV.

In 2004 he released his first book Working the Wheel. The title is a reference to his 1996 crash in Melbourne.{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/men/the-filter/10561339/Life-On-The-Limit-Formula-Ones-deadliest-crashes.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/men/the-filter/10561339/Life-On-The-Limit-Formula-Ones-deadliest-crashes.html |archive-date=12 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Life on the Limit: Formula One's deadliest crashes|journal=The Daily Telegraph|last=Johnson|first=Daniel|date=2014-01-10|access-date=2019-01-24|language=en-GB|issn=0307-1235}}{{cbignore}}

In June 2013 he released his second book The Martin Brundle Scrapbook,{{Cite book|title=Martin Brundle Scrapbook|last=Porter, Philip|others=Brundle, Martin|isbn=9781907085123|location=Tenbury Wells|oclc=862350271|date=July 2013}} co-authored with Philip Porter, a biography that tells the story of his life through memorabilia, news cuttings and photographs.

On Friday 13 February 2009, Brundle presented BBC Look East's 6.30 pm bulletin, with Susie Fowler-Watt, reproducing his famous gridwalk.{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7893044.stm |title=Brundle goes walkabout |publisher=BBC News |date=16 February 2009 |access-date=5 January 2010}}

In September 2007, he suggested that the treatment of McLaren "had the feel of a witch hunt" in his Sunday Times column.{{cite news |first=Martin |last=Brundle |title=Witch-hunt threatens to spoil world title race |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/formula_1/article2414580.ece |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080516192302/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/formula_1/article2414580.ece |url-status=dead |archive-date=16 May 2008 |work=Sunday Times |date=9 September 2007 |access-date=2007-12-10 |location=London}} As a result of these comments, Brundle and the Sunday Times received a French writ from Max Mosley and the FIA for libel. In the same column on 9 December 2007 he accused the FIA of double standards and of issuing the writ at the same time as clearing Renault of spying as a warning to other journalists:

The timing of the writ is significant, in my view, given the FIA's decision to find Renault guilty of having significant McLaren designs and information within their systems, but not administering any penalty. It is a warning sign to other journalists and publications to choose their words carefully over that decision. I'm tired of what I perceive as the "spin" and tactics of the FIA press office, as are many other journalists. I expect my accreditation pass for next year will be hindered in some way to make my coverage of F1 more difficult and to punish me. Or they will write to ITV again to say that my commentary is not up to standard despite my unprecedented six Royal Television Society Awards for sports broadcasting. So be it.{{cite news |first=Martin |last=Brundle |title=How can Formula One justify blatant double standards? |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/formula_1/article3021312.ece |archive-url=https://archive.today/20080725144647/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/formula_1/article3021312.ece |url-status=dead |archive-date=25 July 2008 |work=Sunday Times |date=9 December 2007 |access-date=2007-12-10 |location=London}}

Brundle also asserted his right to voice his opinion about Formula One:

As a former Formula One driver, I have earned the right to have an opinion about the sport, and probably know as much about it as anybody else. I have attended approaching 400 grands prix, 158 as a driver. I have spilt blood, broken bones, shed tears, generated tanker loads of sweat, tasted the champagne glories and plumbed the depths of misery. I have never been more passionate about F1 and will always share my opinions in an honest and open way, knowing readers will make up their own minds.

In March 2008, Brundle voiced his opinion regarding the position of Max Mosley following the News of The World's allegation that Mosley had engaged in sexual acts with five prostitutes in a scenario that involved Nazi role-playing;{{cite news|title=FIA wants to stay clear of sex scandal involving its president and newspaper |work=International Herald Tribune |date=30 March 2008 |url=http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/03/30/sports/EU-SPT-CAR-Mosley-Sex-Scandal.php |access-date=2008-03-30 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080405161200/http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/03/30/sports/EU-SPT-CAR-Mosley-Sex-Scandal.php |archive-date=5 April 2008 }} saying "It's not appropriate behaviour for the head of any global body such as the FIA."{{cite news |first=Ashling |last=O'Connor; Gorman, Ed |title=Max Mosley faces calls to quit as Formula One chief after 'Nazi' orgy |work=The Times |date=30 March 2008 |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/formula_1/article3649197.ece |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080510114232/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/formula_1/article3649197.ece |url-status=dead |archive-date=10 May 2008 |access-date=2008-03-30 |location=London}} In April, Brundle argued:

The specific detail of the scandal surrounding him is largely irrelevant, in my view. The sporting regulation he has used over the years to keep teams in check relates to bringing the sport into disrepute. If you live by the sword, you die by the sword. Sitting on the fence on this issue for any of us inside the sport is not an option. We must condone or condemn the situation he finds himself in. Mosley's position as president is untenable.{{cite news |first=Martin |last=Brundle |title=Time for F1 to get a grip |work=The Sunday Times |date=6 April 2008 }}

Image:Martin Brundle helmet.jpg team's museum.|183x183px]]

Brundle's helmet was white with two red stripes and a blue stripe between the two red stripes (inspired by the British flag) from the chin to the back of the helmet.

In 1996, a golden ring (with either 'Benson and Hedges' or 'Brundle' written on it) and a blue drawing resembling a B (a representation of his trademark "start the engine" gesture) were added.{{citation needed|date=September 2012}}

The son of a motor car dealer, he and his brother Robin took over the family car dealership from their father. The business closed in 2003 after losing the local Toyota and Peugeot franchises.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/norfolk/3037992.stm|title=Racing driver's showroom closes|publisher=BBC News|date=2 July 2003|access-date=2010-12-13}} Robin is also a racing driver,{{cite web |url=http://www.btcc.net/html/history_standings.php?season_id=33 |title=BTCC :: Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship |accessdate=2009-11-28 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110911095714/http://www.btcc.net/html/history_standings.php?season_id=33 |archivedate=11 September 2011 |df=dmy-all }} Official 1990 BTCC standings who competes in historic racing events, and was managing director of Lola Cars.{{cite web |url=http://www.the-mia.com/Robin-Brundle-announced-as-Managing-Director-of-Lola-Cars-International-Limited |title=Robin Brundle announced as Managing Director of Lola Cars International Limited |accessdate=2009-11-23 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100814071616/http://www.the-mia.com/Robin-Brundle-announced-as-Managing-Director-of-Lola-Cars-International-Limited |archivedate=14 August 2010 |df=dmy-all }} Robin Brundle announced as Managing Director of Lola Cars International Limited.

Brundle is married to Liz and they have a daughter, Charlotte, and a son, Alex.{{cite news |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/formula_1/article1899457.ece |title=Relative Values: Martin Brundle and his son Alex |work=The Times |location=London |date=10 June 2007 |access-date=12 May 2010}}{{dead link|date=September 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} Alex has followed his father in pursuing a career in driving; he competed in the 2012 GP3 Series and the FIA World Endurance Championship. Brundle has always lived within a 10-mile radius of King's Lynn.

In 2017, Brundle disclosed that while covering the 2016 Monaco Grand Prix for Sky Sports, he suffered a heart attack whilst running to do the podium interviews.{{cite news |url=http://cars.aol.co.uk/2017/01/13/martin-brundle-reveals-he-had-heart-attack-at-monaco-grand-prix/?icid=maing-grid7%7Cmain5%7Cdl25%7Csec1_lnk3%26pLid%3D-179044352_uk-ttg|title=Martin Brundle reveals he had heart attack at Monaco Grand Prix |publisher=AOL (UK) Limited|date=13 January 2017|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170116164633/http://cars.aol.co.uk/2017/01/13/martin-brundle-reveals-he-had-heart-attack-at-monaco-grand-prix/?icid=maing-grid7%7Cmain5%7Cdl25%7Csec1_lnk3%26pLid%3D-179044352_uk-ttg|archive-date=16 January 2017|access-date=11 November 2020}}

In 2016, in an academic paper that reported a mathematical modeling study that assessed the relative influence of driver and machine, Brundle was ranked the 30th best Formula One driver of all time.{{cite web |title=The Top 50 F1 drivers of all time, regardless of what they were driving |first=Mike |last=Hanlon |date=2016-05-12 |access-date=2019-11-23 |url=https://newatlas.com/computer-modelled-top-50-f1-drivers-of-all-time/43147/ |work=New Atlas}}

Canadian film director and screenwriter David Cronenberg, a motor racing enthusiast, named the protagonist of his 1986 film The Fly "Seth Brundle" after Martin Brundle. The protagonist of the film's sequel, The Fly II (1989) is Seth Brundle's son "Martin Brundle."The Fly Papers, Tim Lucas, Cinefex Magazine, 1986 Charlie Hamblett portrayed Brundle in the Netflix miniseries Senna (2024).{{Cite web |last=Robinson |first=Jacob |date=2023-07-05 |title=Charlie Hamblett Cast as Martin Brundle in Netflix's 'Senna' Limited Series |url=https://www.whats-on-netflix.com/news/charlie-hamblett-cast-as-martin-brundle-in-netflixs-senna-limited-series/ |access-date=2023-07-06 |website=What's on Netflix |language=en}}

Brundle was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the 2025 New Year Honours for services to motor racing and sports broadcasting.{{Cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/f1/martin-brundle-obe-new-year-honours-list-b2671586.html |title=Martin Brundle awarded OBE in 2025 new year honours list |last=Jackson |first=Kieran |date=30 December 2024 |work=The Independent |access-date=30 December 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241230233700/https://www.independent.co.uk/f1/martin-brundle-obe-new-year-honours-list-b2671586.html |archive-date=30 December 2024 |url-status=live}}

^† As Brundle was a guest driver, he was ineligible for championship points.

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap.)

† Events with 2 races staged for the different classes.

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

{{note|1|1}} Brundle was ineligible to score points as he was using European specification tyres. Allen Berg therefore secured maximum points at this round.{{cite web|url=https://motorsportwinners.com/defunct/british-formula-3-championship/|title=British Formula 3 Championship (1951-2014)|accessdate=12 March 2015|work=motorsportwinners.com|date=23 October 2011 }}

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

† Not eligible for points.

(key)

;Notes

• {{note|1|1}} – Tyrrell were disqualified from the entire world championship for 1984 due to a technical infringement.
• ^† Did not finish, but was classified as he had completed more than 90% of the race distance.

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

• After electrical problems with his own car, Brundle replaced Eliseo Salazar in the Jaguar #3 car en route to victory.

{{reflist}}

{{Wikiquote}}

{{Commons category}}

• {{Official website|https://www.martinbrundle.com}}
• {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20200821215637/http://www.brundlequotes.com/ Quotes as an ITV commentator]}}
• {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20091203101010/http://www.martinbrundlef1.com/ Fan site]}} (archived)

{{s-start}}

{{s-sports}}

{{succession box |title=World Sportscar Championship
Champion|before=Raul Boesel |years=1988 |after=Jean-Louis Schlesser}}

{{succession box |title=Winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans |before=Jochen Mass
Manuel Reuter
Stanley Dickens |after=Volker Weidler
Johnny Herbert
Bertrand Gachot |years=1990|with=John Nielsen
Price Cobb}}

{{s-ach}}

{{succession box |title=Autosport
National Racing Driver of the Year |before=Tommy Byrne |after=Johnny Dumfries |years=1983}}

{{succession box |title=Autosport
British Competition Driver of the Year |before=Jonathan Palmer |after=Nigel Mansell |years=1988}}

{{succession box |title=Autosport
British Competition Driver of the Year |before=Nigel Mansell |after=Nigel Mansell |years=1990}}

{{succession box |title=RTS Television Sport Awards
Best Sports Pundit |before= None |after=Alan Hansen |years=1998–1999}}

{{succession box |title=RTS Television Sport Awards
Best Sports Pundit |before=John Francome |after=Incumbent |years=2005–2006}}

{{S-end}}

{{24 Hours of Le Mans winners}}

{{24 Hours of Daytona winners}}

{{Autosport National Driver of the Year}}

{{Zakspeed}}

{{Ligier}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Brundle, Martin}}

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