“A Bit of Understeer” - Martin Brundle Driving the Mercedes F1 Car on the Silverstone

Having won the Constructors Championship title already, MERCEDES-AMG PETRONAS felt it was safe to allow Martin to drive one of their W06 cars on the track at Silverstone. This was happening before the race this weekend where Lewis also got his second title in the Driver’s competition, but apparently that wasn’t so important.

Obviously, we’re joking, but looking at how that Silverstone track was presenting itself, we gotta say it looked worse than what we saw at the race in Austin, Texas, with the Patricia hurricane and all.

However, it was a once in a lifetime opportunity for Martin, so it could have snowed for what he cared and he still would have hit that track. If you watch the clip below - and I’m sure it’s why you’re here - you’ll see that despite his sturdy poker face, Martin was brimming with excitement. He even says, “I can feel the blood pumping through my ears.”

If he seems a little too relaxed, give the man a break: it’s the 40th Grand Prix car he’s driving, so even though it is the most hi-tech of them all, he was a first-hand witness of the transformations F1 went through during the late ’80s and early ’90s. So it’s fair to say he’s seen his fair share of exciting cars.

The first thing he notices is the very high level of comfort, and the second is how composed the car is while cornering. He does casually notice that bit of understeer we were mentioning in the title, but he admits the car seems to be saying “Come on, Martin, get on with it.” Luckily, the cold rain makes it even more dangerous to drive slowly, as the tires cool down, so... happy times for Martin.

Click the play button below to see a happy man driving an excellent car.