BRUNDLE THE MAN WHO RILED LEWIS
LEWIS HAMILTON has appeared to single out respected Sky commentator Martin Brundle for failing to understand his impressive wet-weather win in Germany last Sunday. The world champion, who triumphed from 14th on the grid, watched the race back on Sky Sports. He then posted a cryptic Instagram message — later deleted — saying he was ‘amused by ex-drivers commentating’ and not having a ‘good word to say’. But yesterday, ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix, Hamilton seemed to end the guessing game about who he had in mind. He did not refer to Brundle by name but pointedly revealed that his ire was raised during the race — when Brundle was the only former F1 driver at the mic. Hamilton said: ‘I watched this race that felt so great in my heart, but certain things were not being perceived that way in the reporting. There were also things missed. There was a point, when I was three seconds a lap quicker than the others. But the difference I was making, and the lines I was taking, were not explained. ‘With racing drivers commentating on it, I would have thought they would pick those things out, but they didn’t.’ Brundle, who is Sky’s best-known and highest-paid F1 pundit, was hardly ungenerous to Hamilton during the broadcast, however, even comparing his fellow Brit to Ayrton Senna. ‘I took down the Instagram post because I wrote it during the (replay of the) race and there were some good comments from some of the drivers afterwards,’ said Hamilton. ‘They have a tough job to report on what is going on, so I respect that.’ McLaren, meanwhile, have continued to ring the changes after Sportsmail’s reports of disgruntlement at their Surrey factory. One senior engineer, Matt Morris, has resigned, while James Key is joining from Toro Rosso as technical director. Racing boss Eric Boullier left earlier this month.