Martin Brundle reveals ‘smartest decision’ he ever made and Murray Walker advice

Martin Brundle has revealed some of the best advice he received from legendary F1 commentator Murray Walker.

Walker became synonymous with F1 through his commentary, first with the BBC and then ITV. He became a full-time commentator in 1978 and retired in 2001.

Known as the ‘voice of F1’, Murray struck up a legendary partnership with Brundle when the ex-F1 driver became a co-commentator on ITV in 1997.

“Well, I knew Murray very well because even from the Formula 3 days, he would turn up on his motorbike when there wasn’t a Formula 1 race on that weekend and just watch us in F3, me and Senna, something like that,” Brundle told the Sky Sports F1 podcast.

“And then when I got into F1 as a driver, I spent time with Murray, we would go and have dinner. I considered him a good friend, and we all respected him enormously.

“The smartest decision I ever made in my working life was to stand up and talk to him, because he always stood up because he said it opened his diaphragm and there was a lot of breath coming out of Murray when he was going for it, and I did that.

“So, I worked on his level and talked to him and that, as far as I was concerned, there was two people talking about Formula 1. The fact that there were many millions listening was neither here nor there.”

He added: “A piece of advice Murray gave me on the eve of the first race was, ‘just remember we’re only here to inform and entertain, nothing else’, and I live by that mantra today.”

Brundle went on to recall how Walker, who died in 2021 at the age of 97, became famous for his ‘Murrayisms’ - amusing and often factually incorrect quips.

“Learning how to talk about Formula 1 and broadcast Formula 1 from Murray Walker is like having Pele teach you how to kick a ball,” Brundle said.

“He was always respectful. I had to correct him from time to time because he would make the occasional blunder, which Murray lived off let’s be honest! I would have to gently correct him on a few things.

“But I think people came on that journey with me as well, because they knew there was the ultimate respect. We got on very well, really well.

“He was smart enough to trade off mistakes. Who else could get away with that in the world of broadcasting? You’re famous and loved for making errors. It’s genius, isn’t it? He had such a personality.”