Martin Brundle ‘can’t do them all’ as F1 pundit confirms major Sky Sports change

Martin Brundle has confirmed he will be back on Sky Sports for the Miami Grand Prix next month after not being at the last two Formula One races in China and Japan

View 2 Images

Martin Brundle cannot work all of the Formula One Grand Prix weekends anymore(Image: Getty)

Martin Brundle has confirmed he will be working the Miami Grand Prix for Sky Sports following his absence from the previous two Formula One races in China and Japan. The pundit says he can no longer attend every F1 weekend and now covers 16 of the 24 rounds, reduced to 22 this year with Bahrain and Saudi Arabia called off.

Brundle, 66, kicked off this season at the Australian Grand Prix. However, he was conspicuously missing over the second and third race weekends.

The former F1 driver-turned-commentator has now revealed why he is no longer a constant fixture for Sky. Brundle said on The F1 Show: “I do 16 races a year, so I have to miss some, and they tend to be the early-hours-of-the-morning races, but I always feel a bit sad when I’m not in Suzuka because I love that track as a driver and as a broadcaster, but I can’t do them all these days.”

Brundle added: “I’m definitely in Miami. That is going to be, I think, almost like the start of a new Formula One season. It’s going to be one of the biggest relaunches in the history of Formula 1, I think. It’s going to be early May, but looking forward to it.”

He has also urged the FIA to implement changes during this enforced break in the schedule. Brundle said: “I think the problem the drivers have got, and one thing that really worried me, was Lando Norris saying, ‘I didn’t want to overtake Lewis Hamilton, but my battery decided it did and then I had nothing to defend with.’

“Now, there’s a regulation in Formula 1, it’s been around forever, it’s very simple and far-reaching, the driver must drive the car alone and unaided, the driver shouldn’t have any surprises by a self-learning car, they’ve got to get rid of that.

“I’m sure it’s not the work of the moment, but the power delivery must be proportional to what the driver is doing with the throttle; that’s a fundamental, it has to be linear.

View 2 Images

Martin Brundle will be back on Sky Sports for the Miami Grand Prix(Image: Getty)

“It’s a big issue for the FIA because its driver safety is sacrosanct, I think they’re fourth in line in terms of priorities. The top priority is the fans because they’re paying to be there, they haven’t bought into any element of risk, and they have to be protected.

“Next up are the marshals, the corner workers, because they’re not being paid to be there, but they assume an element of risk because they’re trackside. Next up, for me, are the pitstop crew in terms of priorities, and finally, the drivers.

“The cars are pretty safe, everybody’s health and safety is sacrosanct, but the FIA will now have to make a change for Miami because the drivers have voiced this, it’s very much out there.”