Martin Brundle Forced to Issue Apology During Italian GP Grid Walk
Martin Brundle was forced to issue an apology during his grid walk before the Italian Grand Prix.
Brundle conducted his pre-race tradition alongside Nico Rosberg before the race in Monza.
While on the grid, he approached former Ferrari driver Eddie Irvine for a short interview.
The Northern Irishman was runner-up in the 1999 Drivers' Championship and finished second at Monza for the Scuderia in 1998.
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However, part of the interview went awry.
Brundle asked: "We've seen you at quite a few races lately. Are you thinking of coming back? We've got Bottas coming back, Perez. You're only in your 50s..."
Irvine replied: "Stefano [Domenicali] always gives me a pass. When Bernie was the boss, he'd break your balls. I don't like my balls being broken, so I never came!"
"You'll get me into trouble," Brundle replied. "You know you'll get me into trouble. That's the end of that interview. You're a horrible person! Goodbye."
While Brundle did laugh as he was delivering his rebuttal to Irvine, he had to subsequently apologise to viewers: "Apologies for the colourful, spherical nature of Eddie Irvine's explanation there."
Most fans, though, didn't seem particularly offended by the remark, with one writing: "Forgot how much I loved Eddie Irvine."
A second wrote: "We need more interviews with Eddie Irvine."
And a third said: "We were waiting for something, Eddie didn't disappoint."
Once the race got underway, the current Ferrari duo of Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton both made places up off the grid.
Leclerc, though, would subsequently lose third place to Oscar Piastri, while Hamilton rose to eighth on lap one before overtaking Fernando Alonso and Gabriel Bortoleto.
Max Verstappen - who Irvine praised during the British Grand Prix - kept the lead ahead of Lando Norris, was forced to give the place back and then re-overtook the McLaren driver, all in the opening laps at Monza.
Ryan Smart