Martin Brundle’s grid walks are often one of the fan-favorite moments as a Sky Sports F1 broadcast begins, but an awkward moment at the British Grand Prix left the former driver apologizing for blanking on a prominent actor.
Brundle bypassed Aaron Taylor-Johnson twice, seemingly recognizing the 28 Years Later actor but unable to place him.
Martin Brundle issues apology for British GP grid walk blank
As Formula 1 continues to grow in prestige and popularity, celebrities from all kinds of disciplines have flocked to the paddock for a taste of the pinnacle of open-wheel racing.
There are some races that draw a more elite crowd than others, and at the 2025 British Grand Prix, it appeared that a strong contingent of celebrities had descended on both the paddock and on the grid for what would be a truly compelling race.
As usual, Sky Sports F1 pundit Martin Brundle donned a microphone and took to the grid for his normal pre-race grid walk. Ahead of last Sunday’s event, he chatted with the likes of former F1 driver Nigel Mansell, former footballer Ian Wright, and actors like Idris Elba, Damson Idris, and Tom Holland.
But there was one actor Brundle didn’t recognize.
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Keen cinema buffs in the audience quickly pointed out that Brundle walked right past actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson two different times. It looked as if Brundle recognized him but was unable to connect that face to a name.
British actor Taylor-Johnson will star in the upcoming zombie thriller 28 Years Later, though fans may recognize him for his roles in films like Nosferatu, Bullet Train, and the Marvel cinematic universe. Fans of the actor were quick to point out Brundle’s snub via social media — prompting a response from the pundit during his weekly wrap-up on Sky Sports.
“The grid walk was reasonable fun,” Brundle wrote.
“Apologies to any famous and high-achieving people I rushed past and failed to chat to, I’m afraid I have limited capacity to walk, talk, think, listen and meanwhile check out the faces of hundreds of people to see who they are.
“I had a few hits on the head in my former career and so I need a new Google search and AI chips inserted because my brain still runs on floppy disks.”
Though Brundle’s grid walk is a fan favorite part of the weekend, it hasn’t always been smooth. He’s had awkward run-ins with celebrities like Megan Thee Stallion, Usher, and Cara Delevingne, where he’s been pushed away by security detail or attempts to speak to someone who is not interested in being spoken to.
This led to the introduction of something called the “Brundle clause,” which required that celebrities leave their security detail at the gates. Brundle admitted that he “sort of liked it if they ignore me” because it allowed him “to call out some of the celebs that I think are just using the grid a little bit, if I’m honest. They don’t really have a passion.”
However, he has also noted that the grid walk, for which he has become known, often “annoys him,” as it’s what he’s known for now.
“The whole thing is still a mystery,” Brundle said while speaking with Mail Online earlier in 2025.
“I won a lot of races as a driver and was on the F1 podium. I was World Sportscar Champion, winner at Le Mans, beat Ayrton Senna a lot of times in F3 — I was a reasonably handy racing driver and I’m a reasonably handy commentator but all I’m going to be remembered for is getting ignored on the grid by the Megan Thee Stallion and other people I’d never heard of until that moment.”
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