Martin Brundle rejects British media bias claims after Max Verstappen dig

Martin Brundle has dismissed the idea that Sky Sports F1’s coverage is biased towards British drivers.

It comes after Red Bull’s Max Verstappen took aim at British media following his stunning comeback victory at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.

In the wake of criticism from ex-F1 drivers including Brundle, Damon Hill, and Johnny Herbert, the Dutchman said in the post-race FIA press conference in Brazil: “I have a quick question. I appreciate all of you being here, but I don’t see any British press? They had to run to the airport? Or they don’t know where the press conference is?”

Brundle rejected the notion of British bias on a recent Sky Sports F1 podcast, though he did not mention Verstappen or his recent comments directly.

“I don’t think we do,” Brundle challenged podcast host Matt Baker when he suggested that Sky tries to tell the story of British drivers.

“I’m a Brit. I’m a former British F1 driver, and we’re broadcasting primarily to a British broadcaster. Others take our feed all the way around the world.

“When I watch the Olympics or the World Cup or the European Cup, obviously, your commentators are fervently pro whichever country they’re from. I don’t think we do that. I like to think we’re pretty balanced. I really do.

“We get flack from pretty much everybody, because what I have learned in these 27, 28 years is that you can say 1,000 positive things about somebody and one negative will get back to them and their fans get onto it, or their family and friends tell them.

“I get a few cool, sideways glances sometimes. Nobody ever comes up to you and says, ‘Thank you very much for what you said about us.’”

Brundle revealed 2016 world champion Nico Rosberg is the only driver to thank him for positive comments he made about the German.

“I did have it once, actually,” Brundle added. “It was Nico Rosberg, and he came up to me in Malaysia, a million years ago, said, ‘I’d like to thank you for what you said about me last weekend.’

“I said, ‘Okay, I really appreciate that, because I’ve got to be honest with you, you’re the first driver that’s ever said anything to me like that'. And by the way, the last.

“I said, ‘If you don’t mind, what did I say that you liked? Just for my reference?’ He said, ‘I don’t know. My mum told me I needed to thank you.’

“So actually, I still haven’t been thanked by a driver for something.”