Martin Brundle given ‘daily reminder’ of how he ‘almost died’ in Jos Verstappen crash
Martin Brundle recalled a near-death experience as he reported trackside during practice ahead of the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
Brazil’s Interlagos circuit is one of the oldest on the calendar, with Sky Sports F1’s Brundle competing there multiple times during his racing career. He was involved in one of the most dramatic crashes in the circuit’s history in 1994, which could have claimed his life.
Brundle was in an ailing McLaren when Jordan’s Eddie Irvine aggressively tried to protect his position amid an attack from the Benetton of Jos Verstappen, the father of Max, as they tried to lap the Ligier of Eric Bernard.
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After Verstappen, in his first grand prix, was pushed onto the grass, he spun across Irvine, hit the back of Brundle’s car and cartwheeled into the air. The Benetton actually struck Brundle’s helmet which could be seen bouncing from side to side after the impact before the wrecked cars eventually came to rest.
Incredibly, all the drivers involved escaped injury, while Irvine was punished with a three-race ban.
Brundle returned to the corner in question as he reported for Sky during the second practice session of the weekend.
“In the official opening [TV] credits, they show my crash so I have a daily reminder of how I nearly died at this corner in 1994,” he said.
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“Jos Verstappen rolled over my head so Max Verstappen [who was born in 1997] nearly didn’t exist. We somehow all survived it and I literally crawled back to the pits from here.”
The final practice session ahead of this evening’s sprint race was topped by Alpine’s Esteban Ocon with Sergio Perez of Red Bull second and Mercedes’ George Russell third.
The Haas of Kevin Magnussen will start the sprint race from pole after Friday’s dramatic qualifying session which was run in changeable conditions.
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