‘Brave and brilliant’ – Martin Brundle leads tributes after heartbreaking news
Martin Brundle on Sky F1 duty at the 2026 Canadian Grand Prix
Sky F1 pundit Martin Brundle has led tributes to the broadcaster Esther Rantzen, who has died aged 86 following a long illness.
Rantzen, a prominent television personality in Britain, died on Wednesday, three years after being diagnosed with lung cancer.
Martin Brundle pays tribute to Esther Rantzen
The presenter hosted BBC series That’s Life! for 21 years between 1973 and 1994 and founded Childline, the children’s counselling charity.
She became a leading campaigner for assisted dying following her cancer diagnosis in 2023.
In a post to social media following the news of Rantzen’s death, long-serving F1 commentator Brundle paid tribute to the late broadcaster.
Brundle wrote: “Farewell Esther.
“What a brave and brilliant communicator you were for things you believed in.”
Brundle was awarded an OBE – the fourth-most prestigious honour available to a UK citizen – in 2025 for services to motor racing and broadcasting.
Widely regarded as one of the finest drivers never to have won a grand prix, the 67-year-old made 158 F1 starts between 1984 and 1996, recording a best result of second place.
He moved into the commentary booth following his retirement at the end of the 1996 season, working with the BBC and ITV before joining Sky Sports ahead of the 2012 season.
Go deeper: Best quotes by Sky F1 pundit Jacques Villeneuve
Jacques Villeneuve’s bold and savage quotes: Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton targeted
Jeremy Clarkson’s most outrageous F1 quotes: Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen be warned
In addition to his television work, Brundle also acts as the chair of the Grand Prix Trust, a charity that provides support to former F1 and motorsport personnel who have fallen on hard times.
Fellow trustees include former Ferrari and Mercedes boss Ross Brawn and legendary Williams technical director Sir Patrick Head.
Brundle’s fellow Sky F1 pundit Bernie Collins and former Audi F1 team principal Jonathan Wheatley were appointed trustees last year.
Brundle has returned to the commentary booth at this weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix having missed last weekend’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku.
Unusually, the Bahrain Grand Prix is taking place at Sepang, the former home of the Malaysian Grand Prix, in 2026.
The race was moved after the Bahrain Grand Prix in Sakhir, which had originally been expected to take place in April, was cancelled due to world events.
Formula 1 is expected to make a final decision in the coming weeks on whether the final two rounds of the 2026 season in Qatar and Abu Dhabi will go ahead.
Stefano Domenicali, the Formula 1 president and chief executive, told PlanetF1.com and other media outlets earlier this year that Imola could host the 2026 season finale if Qatar and Abu Dhabi are cancelled.
Imola did not feature on the original F1 calendar for 2026, having returned to the schedule as the host of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix between 2020 and 2025.
Want to be the first to know exclusive information from the F1 paddock? Join our broadcast channel on WhatsApp to get the scoop on the latest developments from our team of accredited journalists.
You can also subscribe to the PlanetF1 YouTube channel for exclusive features, hear from our paddock journalists with stories from the heart of Formula 1 and much more!
Read next: Why is the Bahrain Grand Prix taking place in Malaysia?