Sky Sports F1 legend Martin Brundle absent at Austrian Grand Prix - this is why

Martin Brundle speaks into a Sky Sports microphone — Photo: © IMAGO

Austrian Grand Prix

Martin Brundle absent at Austrian Grand Prix - this is why

Why is Martin Brundle not at the Red Bull Ring?

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Saturday 27 June 2026 15:52

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Sky Sports F1 legend Martin Brundle is not at the Austrian Grand Prix this weekend, which may be a huge disappointment to UK fans tuning into the race weekend.

Brundle is a much-loved member of the Sky Sports F1 team, and has been since 2012, when the broadcaster gained rights to show the sport in the UK.

Brundle is usually David Croft's co-commentator, but also undertakes his world-famous grid walk feature, something that has been ongoing since the 1997 British Grand Prix for a variety of different broadcasters.

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He provides great analysis and insight from his time spent on the grid as an F1 driver, between 1984-1996.

But this weekend, Brundle is not at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg for Sky Sports' coverage of the Austrian GP.

Why is Martin Brundle not in Austria?

Brundle is missing out this weekend as part of Sky's usual rotation of pundits. With it being a long, 22-race season, a number of pundits swap in and out at certain race weekends, even the biggest names such as Croft, Brundle and Ted Kravitz.

British F1 legend Brundle admitted recently that it would be too much for him to do all of the races, and he is instead replaced this weekend by the likes of Bernie Collins, Jamie Chadwick and Karun Chandhok.

The only thing we've heard from Brundle this weekend so far has been a social media post wishing Rachel Brookes all the best, after she announced that she was leaving her role with Sky Sports F1 with immediate effect.

Brundle shared his well wishes with Brookes, responding to the news of her exit on social media by writing: "Good luck Rach. It’s been a pleasure to work alongside you on SkyF1. Your professionalism shines through."

Brundle's F1 career

Brundle was a solid if unspectacular F1 driver during his 12-year career, in which he competed for a total of eight different teams.

Brundle never took the chequered flag in an F1 race but was on the podium nine times. His most successful single season was while driving for Benetton in 1992 when he scored five podiums and 38 points.

That was by far his best total, allowing him to finish sixth in the drivers' championship that year as part of his best run in the sport as he was seventh in 1993 and 1994 while driving for Ligier and McLaren respectively.

Brundle’s last season was in 1996, and though he had options to continue to race beyond that, he took his opportunity to be part of ITV’s broadcast team.

From there he was able to focus on Le Mans, entering the 24-hour race on five different occasions, with a best finish of 15th in 2012.

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