LEGENDS: Martin Brundle’s debut with Senna

F1: Beyond The Grid

karenellenbevan

Leisure, Sports, Technology, Automotive

4.8 • 5.2K Ratings

🗓️ 14 May 2024

⏱️ 40 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In 1984, Martin Brundle and Ayrton Senna made their Formula 1 debuts.

They had just fought each other in an epic battle for the 1983 British Formula 3 title. But while there was little to separate the duo in junior racing, their F1 careers panned out very differently.

As Senna went on to achieve hero status as a triple World Champion, Brundle’s 12-year career was significantly shaped by very serious injuries he suffered in just his ninth Grand Prix.

Speaking to Tom Clarkson in the latest of F1 Beyond The Grid’s LEGENDS episodes, Martin describes in great detail the crash that caused his injuries, how close he came to losing his foot, and what impact that had on the rest of his time in F1.

Brundle also talks about why he and Tyrrell Racing were disqualified in his first season, what it was like being a rookie back then, how Schumacher was different to Senna, where he thinks Adrian Newey’s future might lie, his thoughts on F1’s global standing, and much more.

Related Episodes

Listen to our first LEGENDS episode of 2024 with Juan Pablo Montoya, who reflects on how he lost the 2003 World Championship.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	40 years ago, two of the most exciting rookies in F1 history made their debuts.
0:10.4	They just gone wheel to wheel during an epic title battle in a junior category.
0:14.8	Ayrton Senna had come out on top, but Martin Brundall was still full of confidence ahead of his Grand Prix debut.
0:21.8	I thought it was really easy at the time.
0:24.0	You're young, you're stupid, you don't know anything really, you think you do.
0:28.0	You jump in and go like, well, I'm used to winning
0:31.0	so I can win again in a Formula One car so you turn up with that kind of attitude and then you find it's quite hard
0:38.1	Sena became a three-time world champion while Brundel was almost forced to retire after suffering serious injuries in just his ninth race.
0:47.0	It sort of spoiled my F1 career because I couldn't left a break, especially when we went to two pedal cars, I always had to have a three pedal car.
0:55.0	That was just how it was back in those days. You know, you just got back in as soon as you could.
0:59.0	When you step over the side of a single-seater up you've already mind managed that you might get injured
1:06.6	and if you're not prepared to do that certainly back in those days then there's no point in getting
1:10.5	in the car in the first place.
1:19.0	Hello and welcome to F1 Beyond the Grid. I'm Tom Clarkson and joining me for another Legends episode is Martin Brundall.
1:25.4	Now renowned for his expert analysis and iconic TV gridwalks, Martin as a racing driver
1:31.7	was a force to be reckoned with.
1:33.5	He beat world champions Aet and Senna, Michael Schumacher,
1:36.6	and Mickahackenen.
1:38.0	And in 1983, he and Senna dominated a thrilling British Formula 3 championship that went down to the final race.
1:46.0	Ayrton won the title, but both made their F1 debuts the following season with high expectations. Sena met his of course, but the defining moment of Brundall's career
1:57.0	came just nine races into his rookie season at the 1984 Dallas Grand Prix,
2:02.0	when he broke both feet and both ankles.
	...

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