Every year, Monaco brings the kind of crowd that makes even the drivers do a double take. The grid fills up with names from film, music, fashion, and everything in between, and the race almost becomes secondary to the spectacle around it. Kim Kardashian fit right into that world this year.
It was her first Formula 1 race, and she came in proper. She was in the Ferrari garage for qualifying, watched Hamilton put his car third on the grid, and had cameras on her all weekend long. For most of it, things looked smooth. Then Brundle came around the corner with a microphone.
Kim Kardashian Snubs Martin Brundle at Monaco GP Grid Walk
GettyLewis Hamilton’s Girlfriend
Martin Brundle has been doing his grid walk for years, and by now, most celebrities know the deal. You stop, you say a few words, you move on. It is informal, it is fun, and it is one of those things that makes Monaco feel different from every other race.
Brundle spotted Kardashian in the crowd and went for it, asking: “Kim, Martin Brundle, Sky F1. How are you today? Are you enjoying F1?” What came back was silence, a small wave, and her entourage steering her away. Brundle said, “Normally people have a quick chat with us,” and when she wasn’t speaking anything, he moved on.
F1 Fans React to Kim Kardashian Ignoring Martin Brundle
Brundle is not just any reporter. He is a former F1 driver, a Sky Sports institution, and in British motorsport culture, someone you simply do not blank. The reaction online was swift and mostly one-sided.
One fan called for her access to be revoked entirely: “Kim Kardashian ignoring Martin. Shouldn’t be allowed on the grid again.”
Another laid out what the rules should be: “She should never be allowed on the pit walk. Rules should be you speak or get off.”
One user made it about the sport itself: “Kim Kardashian and anyone on the grid who thinks they are bigger than the sport they are visiting should be banned from ever being on the grid again.”
A fourth kept it short: “She has no place on our grid.”
One questioned why she was famous at all: “How she’s famous is beyond me. A reality tv show whilst a former F1 Brit is trying to get an interview she acts as if he’s beneath her. Crazy lack of respect for F1 Sky.”
Another said she was hurting the very person she came to support: “She is doing absolutely nothing for Lewis’s reputation, other than sinking it.”
One went after the broader celebrity attitude: “Such obnoxious behaviour. These celebs think they are medieval royalty and people shouldn’t even meet their eyes let alone have the gall to speak to them. Clowns.”
One suggested nerves played a role: “She likely knew who he was and didn’t want to get embarrassed by not knowing anything about F1 when he asked her questions.”
Another put it on Hamilton: “Lewis could’ve told her. If Merton comes talk to you, please say Hi. F1 will love it if you do. But… Missed opportunities are a thing of the past I guess.”
Kardashian’s Monaco visit had real potential to be a warm welcome into the F1 world. Instead, a 20-second clip overshadowed everything else, and for a fanbase protective of its traditions, that is a tough hole to climb out of.
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