F1 icon rubbishes claims he could replace Martin Brundle

Fans of beloved Formula 1 commentator Martin Brundle can breathe a sigh of relief.

The motorsport rumour mill had been rife with claims Brundle was slowly being phased out of the Sky Sports commentary booth.

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Jenson Button, who won his sole F1 world championship in 2009, had been tipped as the man destined to replace Brundle.

However, Button quickly shut down any such talk of taking Brundle’s gig.

What did Jenson Button say about replacing Martin Brundle?

“I am not positioned to replace Martin, he’s the man when it comes to commentary and insights,” Button said.

“As much as I love jumping in when Martin is taking a well-deserved break, I wouldn’t want to do more as I’ve got enough going on!”

Brundle also moved to reassure F1 enthusiasts he wasn’t ready to give up his gig any time soon.

Responding to a concerned fan on X, Brundle labelled the report ‘utter clickbait nonsense’ and added: “Don’t be concerned. I’ve done 16 races per year for a good while now and continue to do so.

“In fact with the cancellations I am at 15 of the remaining 19 races this season, subject to world events of course, as always.”

Brundle’s reduced workload broken down

With Brundle commentating on 16 races this season, it means he will be absent from eight given there are 24 grands prix on the F1 calendar for 2026.

Of the three races that have been completed this season, Brundle was only in attendance for the Australian Grand Prix.

Former F1 driver Anthony Davidson called the action in China while Button was behind the mic in Japan.

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Brundle isn’t the only prominent Sky Sports figure who has cut down on their workload each F1 season.

‘Crofty’ cuts down on the calls

Lead commentator David Croft is another who will put down the microphone on several occasions this year.

‘Crofty’ enjoyed a number of races off in 2024 as the calendar expanded to 24 races in 40 weeks and followed a similar path in 2025, opting out of three grands prix.

The 55-year-old first announced he would manage his workload in February 2024, citing the need to enjoy a better work-life balance.

“It’s more about keeping fresh for the whole season,” Croft told The Independent.

“I’m not getting any younger. I’ve given up and sacrificed a lot for my career.

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“I want to give a bit of time back to my family and not be on the other side of the world.”

The 2026 F1 season is in the midst of an unplanned one-month pause after races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, which were due to be held on April 12 and 19 respectively, were cancelled due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

Racing will resume on May 3 when the grid heads to the United States for the Miami Grand Prix.