Martin Brundle has labelled Abu Dhabi 2021 his “most disagreeable time” as an F1 commentator following the fallout between Mercedes and Crimson Bull.
The 2021 F1 season resulted in controversial circumstances as Max Verstappen clinched his first world championship.
Lewis Hamilton was heading in the right direction to take a record-breaking eighth title in Abu Dhabi till the closing laps when the Security Automobile was deployed.
In a bid to get the race underway earlier than the chequered flag, and thus the title settled on observe, race director Michael Masi allowed a handful of vehicles to unlap themselves – not all – which contravened the laws.
The ending of the season capped off a 12 months of heated incidents between Verstappen and Hamilton, which regularly performed out within the media.
Talking not too long ago on the Sky F1 podcast, Brundle conceded they have been “caught within the crossfire” of the strain between Mercedes and Crimson Bull.
“So, we’re in a sanctum. We get caught within the crossfire,” he added. “Essentially the most disagreeable time I’ve recognized in all these years of commentating was Abu Dhabi 2021, and 2021 usually, as a result of it grew to become so feisty, so aggressive between Mercedes and Crimson Bull and Sky sort of acquired caught up in the midst of that.
“We acquired caught within the crossfire, mainly. And every crew just about felt should you weren’t with them, you needed to be towards them. They usually each felt that. And it was actually uncomfortable, really, that complete section.
“However friendships remained, and all of us moved on.”
Brundle additionally supplied perception into his and David Croft’s dealings with groups over time.
“Sunday morning we go to some briefings, Crofty, and I, and get that form of last-minute data,” he defined.
“And groups are fairly open at that time. They’re not going to present you their race technique, however they provide you plenty of data.
“We simply learn all weekend. I am going out on observe on a Friday, so I get plenty of data from that. I discuss relentlessly to folks. I’ve acquired my touchstones within the paddock the place we commerce data, three or 4 folks.
“If one thing huge goes up, I’ll go and discuss to Zak, Christian, Toto, go and discuss to anyone. They usually gained’t inform me lies. If they will’t inform me, they gained’t inform me, or they’ll inform me one thing. I might say 60 or 70 per cent of what I do know I can by no means say on the TV, however that does give me the opposite 30 per cent, after which it additionally signifies that it provides me a steering, or I may give my Sky F1 colleagues steering on if we’re heading off within the unsuitable course or one thing.
“It’s in all probability an excessive amount of, 60, 70 per cent, however there’s plenty of stuff you get to know, and folks let you know in nice confidence. So you’ll be able to’t breach that confidence, in any other case you’ll by no means get the opposite bit down the highway.”
