F1 legend Martin Brundle’s interview with Anthony Joshua leaves viewers wanting to ‘curl up and die’ at the US Grand Prix after ‘awkward’ grid walk moment

Martin Brundle and his iconic grid walks may hold a special place in the hearts of Formula 1 fans, but there’s no denying that his interview with Anthony Joshua on Sunday made for slightly uncomfortable viewing.

Brundle’s grid walks are one of the most beloved parts of race days on the F1 circuit, as the presenter makes his way around the starting grid, looking for a few moments with some of the stars in attendance.

While he normally holds his own with faces and personalities from a wide range of backgrounds, there have been some notable awkward encounters.

The 64-year-old was famously rejected by Hollywood actress and model Cara Delavigne, and also received the cold shoulder from Brad Pitt.

But on Sunday, as he headed to the grid in the immediate build-up to the lights-out at Austin’s Circuit of the Americas, it was an interaction with Joshua that had fans wincing.

Martin Brundle (centre) had to wait for his chance to speak to the heavyweight superstar

On his way to the grid, Brundle spotted Joshua – by no means a difficult task considering his massive 6ft 2in, 225lb frame – and turned towards the heavyweight boxing superstar.

However, Joshua was already talking to an astronaut, Jeremy Hansen, at the time, while Brundle patiently waited his turn.

“I think he saw us,” the veteran pit expert said. “If not, I think we’ll talk to Rory McIlroy and come back.”

But wait, he did, and the thirty or so seconds he stuck around felt much longer to some viewers.

One wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter: ‘Another grid walk, another celebrity Martin Brundle exchange that makes me curl up and die. Anthony Joshua, he’s waiting for you!!!!’

Another said: ‘Martin Brundle waiting to interview Anthony Joshua is sooooo awkward,’ followed by four crying emojis.

A third wrote: ‘The way Martin Brundle is looking at Anthony Joshua right now is KILLING ME HAHAHDHSHAHAHSHAHAHAH!;

A fourth viewer claimed: ‘Martin Brundle waiting for Anthony Joshua made my day.’

Joshua is one of a number of high-profile sports stars who have invested in the Alpine F1 team

A fifth was apparently not a fan of grid walks in general: ‘Martin Brundle’s grid walk… awkward AF, always.’

Their opinion was quickly echoed by another F1 fan: ‘Really not a fan of Martin Brundle. How awkward it is that he’s standing there waiting to talk to some celebrities.”

A seventh was clearly made uncomfortable by the spectacle: ‘Martin Brundle is so uncomfortable I’m shouting.’

Another viewer was quick to note that Brundle was relatively overshadowed by the towering Joshua and Jansen, writing: “Martin Brundle waiting for Anthony Joshua to end his call is just like me waiting for my mother to stop talking to someone in the supermarket!’

After an agonizing but polite wait, Brundle was finally given the chance to speak to the in-demand boxing star, and quickly quizzed him about his recent investment in F1 team Alpine.

“Sports is changing, we are going to make the transition and I have a great team that I work with,” said the former heavyweight champion.

“Obviously F1 is huge, but hopefully Alpine can now have direct, dedicated supporters and fans like me, who will be here in head to toe Alpine gear.”

He then ironically mispronounced Alpine before joking, “What I’m here to do is raise awareness for the people who don’t know enough about Alpine.”

Naturally, questions then turned to his immediate future in the ring, and as well as indicating a willingness to face Deontay Wilder in 2024, he also spoke about a potentially mouthwatering clash with Tyson Fury.

“I’ll be honest, for me personally, I’m here for the fans and I know what they want,” he said.

‘My job is to deliver. I will honor my commitments 100 percent, it is up to the other team to play with the ball.

‘But step by step. December, I want out. April (vs. Wilder) I want to win, and then we can talk about the big fight in the future.’