Formula 1 legend Martin Brundle has delivered another iconic grid walk at the United States Grand Prix, including a mortifying moment with Brad Pitt.
The former driver-turned Sky Sports guru has lost none of his nerve after making global headlines at the United States Grand Prix last year when hewas brutally brushed by American rapper Megan Thee Stallion.
The TV assassin was at his best again on Monday morning as he exchanged some light-hearted banter with Ed Sheeran and Green Day rocker Tre Cool before the race began with some opening lap carnage.
The popular commentator was conducting his traditional grid walk segment where he walks along the starting grid speaking to VIPs and celebrities in the final minutes before the start of the race at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.
It is a famously awkward segment, but it took a frosty turn on Monday when Pitt pushed past him before a member of the Hollywood star's entourage put a hand on Brundle's shoulder.
Pitt successfully sidestepped the interview, giving answers to just one of the many questions asked by Brundle as he attempted to chase the 58-year-old towards the front of the grid.
"Brad, Martin Brundle, Sky F1, how are you doing? Can you tell us a little bit about this movie?"
Brundle followed up by saying: "Have you enjoyed this weekend? I've seen you so much this weekend?".
Pitt responded: "Thank you man".
That's when a hand was placed on the back of Brundle's shoulder.
"Somebody was grabbing hold of my shoulder," Brundle told the TV audience with a grin. "Obviously they're known as pit stops if they don't want you talking to Brad Pitt."
Security-minders were supposed to have a limited presence on the grid after last year's infamous clash between Brundle and Megan Thee Stallion.
Martin Brundle tries to speak to Brad Pitt. Photo / Spark Sport
Fortunately, Brundle's other exchanges were more friendly and enjoyable for viewers at home, who were again left appreciating Brundle's refusal to back down from the awkward moments.
Sheeran stopped briefly to tell Brundle he was excited to be attending a Grand Prix for the first time and said he would be supporting Red Bull — because he had just left the team's garage.
His opening introduction when speaking with Tre Cool was also pure Brundle, asking the American: "Is this going to be a boulevard of broken dreams?"
It was a mixed reaction from fans and commentators on social media.
Brad Pitt just blew off Martin Brundle. What a massive jerk.
Verstappen gets record-tying 13th win at US Grand Prix
Max Verstappen passed Lewis Hamilton late to earn a record-tying 13th win of the season at the United States Grand Prix on Sunday, and delivered a victory to honor the memory of Red Bull team founder and owner Dietrich Mateschitz.
Verstappen's race was nearly undone by a rare slow pit stop by Red Bull midway through the race that dropped him well behind Hamilton. But Verstappen fought back to pass last season's rival for the championship on lap 50 of 56.
Verstappen then had to hold off the pestering Hamilton through the final laps as his team warned him not to exceed track limits that would draw a penalty.
The win as a relief for Red Bull. The team had announced shortly before qualifying on Saturday that Mateschitz had died at age 78. Verstappen vowed he'd give everything to get the win to honor him.
The win continued Verstappen's run of dominance in 2022. He had already clinched the season championship in Japan two weeks earlier. Sunday's win tied him with Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel for most in a season with three races still to go.
Since its founding, Red Bull has won six driver championships and five constructors' titles. Verstappen's win clinched this season's team championship
Mateschitz, the Austrian billionaire co-founder of the Red Bull energy drinks global empire, bought the Jaguar team in 2004 and rebranded it as Red Bull in 2005. He added a second team to the Red Bull stable when he bought the Minardi program renamed it Toro Rosso in 2006 to be a program for training younger drivers. That team is now Alpha Tauri.
The team brought a teenage Verstappen into its racing program and promoted him to F1 in 2015 when he was just 17, with the hopes he could become the youngest champion in series history. Mercedes' dominance over 2014-2020 prevented that.
But Mateschitz, who had been reportedly ailing for months and died at age 78, lived long enough to see Verstappen win two championships and start what could be another dominant era for the team he founded.
F1 held a brief tribute to honor Mateschitz before the race. Large signs of "Danke Didi" (Thank you, Didi) were posted on the video screens and Vettel, who won four championships with Red Bull and now races with Aston Martin, appeared to be fighting back tears.
