Martin Brundle shares the ‘smartest decision’ he ever made while working on F1 commentary with Murray Walker

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Martin Brundle is the commentary voice that any Formula 1 fan in Great Britain who started watching during the Drive to Survive era will immediately recognise.

After a successful racing career in F1 when Martin Brundle arguably established himself as one of the sport’s greatest-ever drivers never to win a race – an accolade Nico Hulkenberg might claim to have as well – Brundle found himself working in the media before his racing career had even come to an end.

However, the sport’s most iconic voice has and potentially will always be Murray Walker.

Walker began commentating on Formula 1 for the BBC in 1976 and didn’t hang up his microphone on a full-time basis until 2001, although he still returned for the occasional stint in the commentary box until 2005.

His passion for the sport and immense knowledge was unrivalled, even if he occasionally struggled to give his co-commentators time to chip in with any of their own thoughts.

Walker was almost brought to tears when Damon Hill secured his only world championship in 1996, while he delivered the iconic, ‘Oh my goodness, this is fantastic!’ line after Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost’s controversial collision at the title-deciding 1989 Japanese Grand Prix.

Brundle was speaking on the Sky Sports F1 Podcast and shared the most important piece of advice Walker gave him when they started commentating together.

It has played a key role in why Brundle is such an important part of the F1 experience for so many fans in Great Britain.

Martin Brundle describes the ‘smartest decision’ he ever made while commentating with Murray Walker

Asked what it was like learning to commentate from the legendary Murray Walker, Brundle said: “Well, I knew Murray very well because even from the Formula 3 days, he would turn up on his motorbike when there wasn’t a Formula 1 race on that weekend and just watch us in F3, me and Senna, something like that.

“And then when I got into F1 as a driver, I spent time with Murray, we would go and have dinner. I considered him a good friend, and we all respected him enormously.

READ MORE: Why Murray Walker described the ‘terrible’ 1998 Belgian GP as the ‘worst start’ to a race he’d ever seen

“The smartest decision I ever made in my working life was to stand up and talk to him, because he always stood up because he said it opened his diaphragm and there was a lot of breath coming out of Murray when he was going for it, and I did that.

“So, I worked on his level and talked to him and that, as far as I was concerned, there was two people talking about Formula 1.

“The fact that there were many millions listening was neither here nor there.”

Martin Brundle is one of F1’s most recognisable faces on the grid unless you’re Franco Colapinto

Not only is Brundle synonymous for his partnership with David Croft on commentary for Sky Sports F1, but he’s also a familiar face on the grid before races.

He takes fans on a 15-minute journey up and down the start line before each race, trying to interview as many drivers, team personnel and famous faces as he can.

READ MORE: Martin Brundle issues his verdict on Gabriel Bortoleto joining Sauber next season

Brundle tried to get a quick word from Franco Colapinto at the United States Grand Prix, but the young Argentinian completely blanked him.

Although this isn’t an unusual experience for Brundle, Colapinto later apologised and it can be excused that growing up outside of Great Britain, he may not have recognised him immediately.

Brundle has also explained why he doesn’t speak to Lewis Hamilton on the grid as much as he would like to.

Michael Schumacher also didn’t speak to Brundle for years before one drunken evening mended their relationship.

That may change when he moves to Ferrari, although the seven-time world champion may still prefer concentrating on the race ahead away from the grid before each Grand Prix.