Martin Brundle to reduce F1 commentary duties in 2026

credit: Goodwood

It is a voice that we are all more than familiar with by now, but this year, we’ll be hearing a little less of Martin Brundle during Sky’s 2026 Formula 1 coverage.

Brundle, a former racing driver who competed in F1 from 1984 to 1996, has been an ever-present on pundit and commentary duty in the sport since he retired from racing, working for ITV from 1997 to 2008, before joining the BBC from 2009 to 2011, and then finally becoming part of the Sky Sports F1 team in 2012.

“I can’t do them all these days”

Brundle started the 2026 season by commentating on the opening race in Melbourne, but was not seen at subsequent races in China and Japan. The 2009 World Champion Jenson Button stood in for Brundle in Suzuka and was widely praised for his co-commentary on social media.

Brundle is set to return to the screen for Sky in May for the Miami Grand Prix, after races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia were cancelled due to the ongoing war in the Middle East.

Brundle said on The F1 Show: "I do 16 races a year, so I have to miss some, and they tend to be the early-hours-of-the-morning races, but I always feel a bit sad when I'm not in Suzuka because I love that track as a driver and as a broadcaster, but I can't do them all these days."

"I'm definitely in Miami. That is going to be, I think, almost like the start of a new Formula One season. It's going to be one of the biggest relaunches in the history of Formula 1, I think. It's going to be early May, but looking forward to it."

Enforced break forces F1 to analyse itself

Brundle has also been one of a growing number of people around F1 to voice their concerns about the sport’s new technical regulations. Criticism of the new rules and how they are used has been widespread, none more prominent than four-time world champion Max Verstappen, who has said that he will consider his future in the sport unless they are changed.

While new power units and chassis have brought some success for drivers like Lewis Hamilton, others have been critical of the energy-management requirements when qualifying and racing. Such problems were brought to a head at the Japanese, where Ollie Bearman suffered a crash after speed differential issues with the driver ahead of him, Alpine’s Franco Colapinto.

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The 66-year-old has also called for the sport’s governing body, the FIA, to make rule changes during the enforced break in the calendar. Brundle said: "I think the problem the drivers have got, and one thing that really worried me, was Lando Norris saying, 'I didn't want to overtake Lewis Hamilton, but my battery decided it did and then I had nothing to defend with.'

"Now, there's a regulation in Formula 1, it's been around forever, it's very simple and far-reaching, the driver must drive the car alone and unaided, the driver shouldn't have any surprises by a self-learning car, they've got to get rid of that.

"The cars are pretty safe, everybody's health and safety is sacrosanct, but the FIA will now have to make a change for Miami because the drivers have voiced this, it's very much out there."

A meeting between FIA technical directors, the teams, and engine manufacturers will be held virtually on Thursday April 9th, where potential rule changes are likely to be discussed. Any changes will then have to be formally approved by the FIA World Motor Sport Council.

The Miami Grand Prix runs from May 1-3.

words: Mike Booth