Racing
© Jonathan Borba
Martin Brundle was left telling Jimmy Fallon “Don’t do that again” after the American host grabbed and bit the Sky Sports microphone during Brundle’s pre-race grid walk at the Miami Grand Prix.
The moment quickly became the standout clip from Brundle’s latest walk through the grid. Fallon arrived with what was described as plenty of energy, greeting him with: “Oh my God, Martin Brundle! What are you up to? What do you need? Can I get anything for you?” When Brundle replied, “I need some funny lines, I need everything,” Fallon took the microphone and put the wind shield in his mouth before continuing his breathless verdict on the event.
“You’re the best. First time here, it’s nuts, crazy, I’m loving it. Miami is a great host. I’m going for Red Bull, I’m going for Max, he’s going to crush it,” Fallon said. He then carried on: “I’ve been here, hanging out, good restaurants, good people, good fun. It’s loud, and it’s exciting. I’m so happy to see you, I was hoping to see you. This is the highlight.”
Brundle, who appeared surprised through the exchange, tried to shut it down as the segment ended. In one version of the footage he said, “Don’t do that again.” In another, as he looked to move on quickly, he added: “Do not take my mic sock again.”
After the clip spread across social media, Brundle responded on X with a dry verdict on the encounter. “In 30 years of broadcasting I’ve never wondered what a branded microphone sock tastes like. There’s some very funny people around [confused emoji],” he wrote.
The Fallon moment overshadowed what was otherwise Brundle’s usual celebrity-heavy Miami grid walk. He also crossed paths with DJ Khaled, Colin Farrell and Patrick Dempsey, and at one stage ended up on Khaled’s livestream, but it was the microphone incident that drove the online reaction and turned a routine pre-race segment into the day’s most talked-about broadcast clip.