Formula One's most iconic grid walk interviews: Mail Sport looks back at the wackiest celebrities to take to the track after Bukayo Saka is accused of breaking unwritten rule at Spanish GP

Daily Mail​

7 hours ago

'Not much to say,' responded an uncharacteristically withdrawn Bukayo Saka when approached by Sky Sports presenter Simon Lazenby at the Spanish Grand Prix.
His colleague Martin Brundle is usually the one seen conducting grid-walk interviews, amassing quite the array of famous notches on his journalistic belt. The practise is something of a rite of passage for the celebrities privileged enough to be ensconced in a team at the one of the most exclusive - often on account of the finances involved - sporting events on the planet.
The sight of Brundle, an accomplished Formula One driver in his day and winner of the prestigious 24 Hour of Le Mans, dart towards you with his Sky Sports microphone in tow, ready for its redeployment no more than ten centimeters from one's face once Brundle's awkward frame successfully slaloms through a mess of the bodies must induce some dread.
But that is the price. The expense some of the most famous people on the planet know even their money cannot spare them from. And it's the reason why Saka - normally beloved for his down-to-earth appearance - came under fire for snubbing Lazenby's advance.
The awkward interaction quickly proved to be a significant talking point on social media, with some fans accusing Saka of being aloof. One wrote: 'If Saka was a F1 fan he would know that people on the grid get interviewed and if you snub you look an arrogant celeb who shouldn't be there.'
Add the encounter to the catalogue of memorable interactions down the years. Here, Mail Sport takes a look at some of the funniest, heartwarming, often cringe but still iconic examples over the years.
Virgil van Dijk
Brundle was forced into an apology on a rare occasion when his actions saw a grid-walk interview garner some notoriety. At the Monaco GP last May, the presenter spotted Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk but faced competition from a journalist from Viaplay for his time.
In fairness to Brundle, he had waited for the Dutchman to finish speaking to another outlet, time he used to interview actress Alexandra Daddario, but found another reporter attempting to step in when he was done.
'Sorry, I'm in the queue like the cheese counter,' he said, promoting laughter from Van Dijk.
Brundle added: 'How are you? We could do it together.' Are you English, English speaking?' He then asked his fellow reporter who then appeared to drift slightly away as Brundle took over.
The former racer then got his chance to interview the giant Dutchman and offered up a hand in apology to his industry colleague after firing off a few questions about Monaco's splendor and the atmosphere in the principality.
Megan Thee Stallion
Brundle came across Megan Thee Stallion at the United States GP in 2021 and while the rapper was friendly enough, waving at the presenter, the same couldn't be said for some of her entourage.
Two crew members, with at least one being part of her security detail, made it extremely difficult for Brundle to get an interview.
To start with, a masked bodyguard held him off with an arm and shook his head as Brundle introduced himself while the singer smiled.
'Okay boss,' Brundle says to the bodyguard, before directing his attention back to Megan. You're a freestyle rapper; have you got any rap for us today on Formula 1?
Megan laughed and responded: 'I have no rap today, sorry.'
As he asked the multi-Grammy Award winner who she would be supporting in the race, another chap steamed in and put his body between the journalist and the star.
He pushed Brundle away and told him he couldn't speak with her, but the F1 presenter had the coldest response at the ready: 'I can do that because I did.'
Paolo Banchero
Brundle had a comical moment in 2022 when he confused NBA prospect Paolo Banchero with American football quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
Calling for 'Patrick', Brundle sighed 'I don't think he can hear me up there' as he pursued the 6'10" giant.
Eventually Banchero turned away and gave a civil interview with Brundle, calling the event a 'spectacular' setting.
At the end of the interview. Brundle realised that he hadn't actually been speaking to Mahomes and understood 'that's why he ignored me in the beginning', asking Banchero for his actual name.
'There's a reason why I've never watched back an F1 gridwalk in a quarter of a century of doing them. You have no idea how much I dislike doing them but somehow those crazy moments have defined my professional career,' Brundle later tweeted. 'Oh well, that's the way it is.'
Little did he know that a year later the two would reunite on another grid walk at the Miami GP, where Banchero smiled as Brundle recounted his gaffe.
'It's been a hell of a year and I'm honoured that you know my name, now, man,' Banchero joked. 'It's been a hell of a year and you're great at what you do.'
Martin Brundle thought Paolo Banchero was Patrick Mahomes 😂 pic.twitter.com/YlQuouMSuV
— The Sporting News (@sportingnews) May 8, 2022
Brad Pitt
While in the early stages of making an F1 movie, Brad Pitt snubbed Brundle's interview overtures on the grid, perhaps not realising who the former driver was.
Late in 2021 it was announced that Pitt would be starring as the lead actor in an F1 film produced by Joseph Bruckheimer and directed by Joseph Kosinski.
However, in 2022, Pitt skirted around his interview duties with Brundle and left the presenter wondering what had happened.
Brundle worked his way through the crowd to get to Pitt - including a man who thought he was trying to shake his hand - but was swiftly shut down when he attempted to speak about the blockbuster movie.
Pitt claimed it was top secret as he started to turn his back on Bundle and continued walking.
Brundle then continued to add that he had seen Pitt around quite a bit throughout the week and asked if he had enjoyed his time at the Grand Prix, to which the A-lister simply responded, 'thank you, man,' and continued walking away.
The Sky Sports pundit then joked: 'Obviously they're known as Pitt stops, if they don't want you to talk to Brad Pitt.'
Brad Pitt making a movie about F1 but not knowing who the voice of the sport Martin Brundle is🫠 pic.twitter.com/Xh3E28xTa8
— Omid Scobie (@scobie) October 23, 2022
Ozzy Osbourne
Back in 2003, Brundle bumped into Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osborne, who embarked on one of the more incoherent interviews the presenter has had.
When quizzed about Sharon osborne's good news, he wasn't able to string together much of a sentence, mumbling his way through a reply.
At some point he referenced writing a musical about Rasputin - which he did - but other than the word 'Broadway', most of it was unintelligible.
'Alright, I'll try and think of a question for that answer,' said a bemused Brundle.
He came up with 'did you bring the dogs with you?' and might have regretted it.
'No, they're all at home shi***ng, retorted the singer in a deadpan tone.
Brundle quickly fled and has since spoken about it.
'He wasn't fully with it, shall we say. I asked him a question and he gave me a very long, incomprehensible answer,' said Brundle.
'I said to him 'I'll try and think of a question to that, but in the meantime how are the dogs?' And he said "they are at home s******g on the carpets". It went out live to millions of people and I got in trouble because I was supposed to have known he would swear if I asked that question."
Terry Crews
There have been few grid walk chats as wholesome as when Brundle met Terry Crews.
The American footballer-turned actor and TV host was a bundle of warmth and humour when the two met at the Hungarian GP in 2023, where Crews was a guest of Red Bull.
Often celebrities are slammed for their unwillingness to be interviewed by Brundle, but that couldn't have been further from the truth with Crews as he appeared incredibly excited to be on the grid.
'They told me I'd recognise you because you're bricked,' started Brundle.
'Oh hey, how you doing?' Crews began, before the Brooklyn Nine-Nine actor exclaimed 'I'm revving up right now' while hilariously flexing his pecs for the camera.
The former Rams, Chargers and Redskins linebacker then added: 'This is my first F1 (race). And at Oracle Red Bull Racing, they've been so amazing to me. Taking me around. Showing me what's all about science and technology.
'You literally have a spaceship here on this track now. Oh my God, I'm looking at the future.' It was a hugely refreshing moment, with fans calling his energy and kindness 'brilliant'.
Cara Delevigne
If you need a contrast to the positivity and openness exuded by Crews, look no further than Cara Delevingne's 'interview' with Brundle.
She and her team left the UK racing legend high and dry at Silverstone in July, leaving fans watching at home outraged. When told that the model didn't want to talk, Brundle protested: 'That's the deal now, everybody talks on the grid.
'Can we have a quick chat, Sky F1, good to see you on the grid,' said Brundle as he leant towards Delevingne. But the celebrity smiled and replied: 'I can't hear anything, sorry,' as the Red Arrows roared overhead'.
'The deal is everybody has to speak on the grid,' insisted Brundle, but Delevingne didn't have much time for him, listening to a member of her team before repeating that she couldn't hear.
Unimpressed, Brundle replied with more than a hint of sarcasm, telling viewers: 'Okay, well, I'm sure it would have been extremely interesting,' at which point the model offered a thumbs-up to the camera.
Later that day, Delevingne took to X, formerly Twitter, to offer a further response to the interaction. She reposted a tweet which read: 'At this point, Martin Brundle is just doing it to manufacture the moment for the controversy of it all.
'You can clearly see the PR rep tell him "no" and shake his head when he goes up towards Cara Delevingne. He had an out and he chose not to take it to make a statement.'
Cara added: 'I was told to say no so I did. Thank you for seeing both sides xxx.'
Machine Gun Kelly
Machine Gun Kelly left fans cringing after storming away from Brundle after an excruciatingly awkward interview at the Brazilian Grand Prix.
The pair did not gel from the start, as the singer gave some hesitant replies, but things took a turn for the worse after MGK initiated a live 'air guitar and piano' session.
The first hints of awkwardness came when he reached over to fiddle with the broadcaster's pin, with Brundle explaining: '... That's a poppy.'
They soon hit another hurdle when Brundle asked: 'What's going on with your career at the moment?'
Machine Gun Kelly unhelpfully responded with: 'My career... I don't think about my career. I don't think about it,' effectively ending the line of conversation.
Clearly stumped, Brundle responded: 'Well good luck with it, whatever you do.'
After picking up the pace a little with some chat about F1 and music, the worst was yet to come after MGK initiated a live 'air guitar and piano' session with the former driver.
He said: 'Can you give me your best air guitar?'
But his interviewer was clearly embarrassed and said: 'No there's millions [of people watching]. You do it!
A classic Martin Brundle gridwalk moment with Machine Gun Kelly 😅 pic.twitter.com/EGWssbjin9
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) November 5, 2023
'Uh no, I can't. I learnt the piano once and I learnt the middle C and that was about it.'
Kelly, however, was determined not to give up. He continued: 'Give me your best air piano! Let's do an air guitar and air piano collaboration right no! Come on! 3, 2, 1... I need keys I need keys!'
But a flustered and panicked Brundle made his excuses: 'I can't do it! I probably need to get on as there's some people I need to see.'
Left furious by his lack of participation, MGK gave the camera a thumbs down and stormed away, shaking his head. Martin scurried off in the other direction, telling the camera: 'Something tells me I won't be on his Christmas card list this year.'
Pep Guardiola
Ahead of the last race of the 2022 season in Abu Dhabi, Brundle wanted to have a word with Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola.
The Manchester City manager tried to get out of the interview by claiming he has already spoken twice with Sky already, with Brundle saying: 'Well, three times lucky then.'
Brundle asked him about City's season, but Guardiola shut down that line of questioning, saying said: 'Don't talk about football today.'
'Oh, well talk about F1, tell me about some F1,' Brundle chirped, but already the Spaniard was walking away and bodies were intervening.
After their short exchange, Brundle concluded: 'It's okay, I've been thrown out of better places than this.'
In truth, Guardiola had already spoken with Brundle, with the presenter suggested a grid walk-style paddock at the Etihad. 'That would be crazy, it's crazy for the drivers before driving at these speeds, to be here with so many people, but it's part of the show,' Guardiola replied.
Also present were stars such as Thiago Silva, Reece James, and Ivan Toney, while Guardiola spent some of the day with Mercedes boss Toto Wolff.
Brilliant response from Martin Brundle to getting the short shrift from Pep Guardiola… pic.twitter.com/fyuWBJ8laH
— Daniel Davini (@davvers605) November 20, 2022
Sam Ryder
Not many celebrities have displayed as much passion for F1 as Sam Ryder in his grid walk interview at this year's British GP.
It was clear that the Eurovision star, who came second with the United Kingdom in 2022, was genuinely appreciative to be there and have the chance to talk about the sport.
The two hugged and greeted each other as 'legends', with Ryder exclaiming: 'It's so lovely to see you!'
'My microphone got lost in the man-hug,' joked Brundle. The camaraderie was clear to see.
Ryder couldn't contain his smile, beaming down the camera and waving at the viewers at home, saying: 'Hello everyone!'
He continued: 'Those Mclarens are going to have a good start today, man. Oscar [Piastri], rookie season, he could be leading a lap depending on pit strategy. I'm stoked. Anyway, I'm talking your ear off!'
There was lots of love between Brundle and Sam Ryder, as the two shared a hug and compliments
Ryder's enthusiasm for the sport was clear for all to see as he got behind McLaren
But Brundle lapped up the enthusiasm and wanted to hear more of his thoughts, which Ryder was happy to share.
He added: 'I think it's a wicked start. After the start of the season they've had, to develop the car to this point, it's amazing!'
Brundle's appreciation was evident as he finished: 'You can take my job if you wanted to!'
The reason their brief exchange resonated with fans so much was because supporters are often irritated when celebrities are just there for show with no interest in the sport, taking up room that could be occupied by a genuine enthusiast. Ryder's gushing chat about the sport proved his keenness for it and let viewers know he was just one of them.