Martin Brundle responds after Machine Gun Kelly leaves Brazil GP early
Christian Horner with Machine Gun Kelly on the grid at the Brazilian Grand Prix.
Martin Brundle has addressed his awkward exchange with rapper Machine Gun Kelly ahead of the Brazilian Grand Prix.
Brundle is no stranger to the occasional cringeworthy grid walk interview ahead of a Grand Prix, and handled his latest trainwreck interviewee with aplomb ahead of Sunday’s Brazilian Grand Prix.
Running into rapper Machine Gun Kelly, real name Colson Baker, Brundle attempted to engage the celebrity in a banal chat about his enjoyment of F1 and some light questions about his career. However, Kelly wasn’t having any of it – leading to many awkward silences and attempts to divert the interview in a direction he clearly felt more comfortable with.
Martin Brundle follows up after cringe Machine Gun Kelly interview
Reposting a 2022 picture of Machine Gun Kelly with wife Megan Fox and a previous cringe interviewee Megan Thee Stallion, Brundle simply said: “Finally, my claim to fame, I’ve met two of these three people. I do appreciate them taking some time out on the grid for our great sport … I hope they didn’t find me too weird.”
Kelly was present on the grid as a VIP guest to the paddock and grid with Formula 1 directly, with the details of his pass showing he only had access for Sunday’s race – a race the American didn’t even bother to stick around for as he left Interlagos halfway through the Grand Prix.
It’s led to backlash once again against the blight of having uninterested guests being granted incredible levels of access, with IndyCar star Felix Rosenqvist replying to Brundle to say: “Introduce a mandatory quiz for celebs in order for these interviews to be non-cringe worthy. Tough spot to be put in for Brundle. I bet the fans are excited to see their favorite celebs being into F1 (like Brad Pitt), but if they are visibly oblivious to what F1 is it just leaves a bad taste.”
In 2021, Brundle found himself going viral on social media after a similarly awkward moment with rapper Megan Thee Stallion. While Ms. Stallion appeared more than happy to talk to Brundle, the broadcaster was brushed aside by a bodyguard for the rapper who warned him off with another saying he “can’t do that”.
The veteran of 158 grand prix starts simply replied: “I can because I just did,” leading to a huge online response backing him up.
After that incident, Brundle called for “manners and respect” from those accompanying celebrity guests when they are on Formula 1’s patch, while the episode was replayed and discussed on American TV shows besides going viral on social media.
“I like to call out some of the celebs I think are just using the grid a little bit, if I’m honest. They don’t really have a passion,” he said.
“I know there are millions of fans at home going ‘I should be on that grid. I’m a massive Formula 1 fan, not them’.
“But my claim to fame at last. I get ignored by Megan Thee Stallion, I get biffed out of the way by a man mountain, and then told off by a [Draco] Malfoy lookalike who doubtless was on his first ever time to a Formula 1 grid.
“I put out a simple tweet about it and got five million impressions. I don’t understand any of that, to be honest.”
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Read the full awkward interview between Martin Brundle and Machine Gun Kelly
Here’s the full exchange between the experienced broadcaster and the rapper, in which Kelly made it very obvious he had no interest in speaking with Brundle.
Martin Brundle: “Good to see you. Welcome to our grid.”
Machine Gun Kelly: “*….Long silence….* I have no idea what you said. But thank you.”
MB: “I said welcome to the grid. ”
MGK: “Thank you. Thank you. Honour to be here..”
MB: “Tell us about your career at the moment.” Distracted by Machine Gun Kelly poking at his chest, Brundle said: “That’s a poppy.”
MGK: “*Long silence*….”What? What are you saying?”
“MB: “Tell us about your career at the moment, what’s going on for you?”
“MGK: “Oh, my career…. *Long silence* I don’t think about my career. I don’t think about it.”
“MB: “Well, I’ll tell you what, good luck with it, whatever you do. What do you think about our business in F1?”
MGK: “Business is great. It’s loud. Your life’s on the line. That’s exciting. I was at a studio the other week and Lewis Hamilton was in the other studio. That was nice. Yeah, yeah. What do you think about my business?”
MB: “We love your business. Because there’s always been a great synergy between the music business and the motor racing business somehow.
MGK: “Can you give me your best air guitar?
MB: “No, I can’t. I learned the piano once and I know the middle C and that’s about it.
MGK: “Let’s do an air piano and air guitar collaboration right now. Three, two, one…”
With Brundle not engaging with Kelly’s antics, he just said: “I can’t do it.
MGK: “I need keys. I need the piano.”
MB: “I probably need to get on because we’ve got some people to see, but they don’t deserve my…”
With Kelly having already walked away, giving the camera a thumbs down as he stopped listening to Brundle, the broadcaster said: “Something tells me I won’t be on his Christmas card list…”
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