Ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix, former racer and longtime F1 commentator Martin Brundle admitted that many viewers have called his grid walks “cringe.” But why should that be the case when one of motorsport’s most respected pundits could share so many unique insights before the start of each race?

Brundle kicked off his Austria grid walk with a “pit walk,” where he explained the origins of words like “pit” and “paddock” before giving viewers a look behind the scenes at the way teams prepare for an event. It was an informative and interesting take on the grid walk, and it should serve as the basis of a better format in the future.

Fewer celebrity faux pas, more one-of-a-kind knowledge

As Formula 1 has become a hip “place to be seen” for celebrities all around the world, Martin Brundle’s grid walks have become bogged down with awkward moments and admittedly cringeworthy soundbites as he fumbles through bodyguards or misidentifies famous rappers. What fans may slam as being “cringe” on social media surely can’t be enjoyable for Brundle, either. So why don’t we change the grid walk format?

Today, I think it would be safe to say that the F1 grid has become a meeting place for the elite — to the extent that I’d argue we no longer need to harass the A-, B-, and C-listers who managed to secure grid access.

I’ve never agreed with the sentiment that celebrities on the grid “owe” Brundle an interview, or even a moment of their time. Many fans seem to view celebrity access at F1 races as transactional: In order to access this event, you are obligated to make yourself available to all people at all times, no matter what.

Celebrities, the argument goes, have to speak with Brundle as some sort of atonement for taking grid access away from someone who better “deserves” it.

I’ve always found those arguments to be strange ones that ignore the very simple fact that Formula 1 has, over time, evolved into an elite sport, and your ability to participate in that elite sport is not determined wholly by merit. In many cases, it relies more on political cachet, social clout, or how much money you have.

But I’ve also found it strange that so many people have insisted upon celebrities speaking to Brundle when it’s clear that both Brundle and many of the celebrities before his microphone fiercely dislike the process.

Why do we want to keep watching these awkward moments? Why do we insist upon forcing people to participate in an act that we will inevitably shame them for?

I don’t know about you, but I can’t say I’ve ever desperately desired to hear what Cara Delevingne or Kylian Mbappé think about Formula 1, nor do I feel like they need to perform fandom in order to “earn” their access to a Formula 1 grid. And while I don’t much care to see them interviewed, I really don’t want to see someone try to force an uncomfortable interaction to take place.

So why do we keep pushing Martin Brundle into these situations? Are these moments so valuable in getting eyes on F1 that we have to keep subjecting one of F1’s respected pundits into humiliating situations for views?

Can’t we find a better way to utilize this pre-race time — a way that provides actual value to the viewers while also showing respect for the various people congregating on the grid before a Grand Prix?

I believe we can.

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So, what should Brundle’s grid walk become?

Before the Austrian Grand Prix, we had a great glimpse at what the future of Brundle’s grid walk could hold — and what it should become.

He started off in the pit lane standing next to the Aston Martin safety car, offering a brief explanation of the etymology of racing words like “pits” and “paddock” before walking down the pit lane.

Brundle interviewed team personnel and described the pre-race preparation that goes on in the garage while all eyes are on the packed grid. He broke down the nuance of a pit stop, how different camera angles are trained on the cars to catch all of the action, and why teams have to “stack” their cars when pitting.

While some diehard Formula 1 aficionados may have already known all of that information, there’s also a strong chance that many fans tuning in learned something new.

At the very least, many fans at least got a different look at the build up to a Grand Prix. Further, it actually seemed as if Brundle enjoyed the unique presentation — moreso, at least, than he seems to enjoy awkward run-ins with celebrities.

It’s a fantastic example of what Martin Brundle’s grid walk should become.

The world of Formula 1 is fascinating and complex, and every race weekend adds new threads to the tapestry the sport has been weaving for over 70 years. Brundle’s Austria pit walk pointed out detail in that tapestry that might otherwise have gone unnoticed — and there are thousands of similar details just waiting for someone to uncover them.

Why not utilize the grid walk to build on a new theme, or to share a new fact? By all means, grab someone for a quick pre-race chat — but I’d also love for Brundle to delve into something specific every week.

Ahead of a hot race, why not break down the cooling strategies different drivers or teams implement to keep all their firesuit-clad personnel safe?

Why not use a night race to highlight the technology required to illuminate the track surface to an acceptable level?

Before a race at a historic track like Spa, why not use the grid walk as an opportunity to point out key safety features that wouldn’t have been present in the 1950s, or to paint a picture of what the starting line would have looked like back then?

A quick interview with a celebrity — even one that goes off without a hitch — isn’t going to contribute to the overall experience of a Grand Prix the same way that a presentation of a fascinating bite of information would.

In Martin Brundle, we have an extremely knowledgable pundit who has ample experience presenting all kinds of motorsport information. Why don’t we emphasize his strengths — and create a more compelling, robust Formula 1 broadcast in the process?

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