Brundle impressed by Brad Pitt during ‘solid’ McLaren test

Hollywood heartthrob Brad Pitt left Sky F1’s Martin Brundle gobsmacked with his skills behind the wheel of a real Formula 1 car during the actor’s recent track day with McLaren at The Circuit of the Americas.

Hot on the heels of his work as fictional F1 veteran Sonny Hayes in the now-released blockbuster F1 The Movie, Pitt was given the rare opportunity to test a 2023-spec McLaren at COTA, with both Lando Norris and Brundle coaching the 61-year-old racing enthusiast.

The test was arranged by McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown – and the result? A surprising turn of speed and seriousness from a man more familiar with Oscar buzz than engine revs.

Brundle: “It was the best day of my TV career”

Brundle, who also drove McLaren’s MCL60 during the private session, was genuinely impressed by Brad Pitt’s composure and curiosity.

“He [Pitt] was good, he was solid out there. It's not easy to just jump in. There's a lot going on,” Brundle told Sky Sports F1.

“It was a magnificent experience, and I thought Brad was a lovely bloke who did a great job in there.”

Brundle recounted a moment that highlighted Pitt’s intense focus.

“There was a point when I was getting a briefing on how to start it up and which clutch paddle to pull and all that, and he just pulled up a chair and just sat and listened, because he just wanted to know more and more.”

For someone hopping into his very first F1 car – while Brundle himself ticked off his 73rd – Pitt came away without a scratch.

“He was impressive. It was my 73rd F1 car, it was his first, and he didn’t crash it,” Brundle joked.

“I asked him if he fancied a bit of racing and he’d obviously thought about it, he was like, ‘I’m not sure about the side-to-side, the wheel-to-wheel racing.’”

Summing up the day, Brundle didn’t hold back: “It was one of the best days of my TV career – no it wasn’t, it was the best!”

Zak Brown: “Brad did an awesome job”

McLaren boss Zak Brown also shared his thoughts on Pitt’s performance – and confirmed that the test wasn’t just a publicity stunt.

“It was our pleasure. We knew you'd bring her back in one piece,” Brown told Brundle.

He revealed that the feedback the former Grand Prix driver provided during the outing proved insightful to the McLaren team.

“Andrea and I were speaking about it the other day, and some of the feedback you gave us on driver mindset stuff was quite interesting and quite useful, so we got value out of it ourselves as well,” he added.

Read also:

• Pitt blown away by McLaren F1 test: ‘Never experienced anything like it’

As for Pitt, Brown had nothing but praise for the actor’s commitment.

“There’s a reason why Martin got paid to go motor racing, but I would say that Brad did an awesome job, and he was very serious about it.

“I talked to him afterwards, he wanted to look at his data. I think Brad’s a better actor than racing driver, but in all seriousness, he did a very good job.”

With his first taste of Formula 1 power now behind him, Pitt has not only won the respect of the paddock, but also added another layer of authenticity to a film project that’s already turning heads in the entertainment and motorsport worlds.

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