MARTIN BRUNDLE'S GRID WALKS COULD HAVE NEW CHAPTER WITH MIAMI GP-MAHOMES MEETING

An awkward encounter could be on the horizon for Sky Sports Formula 1 reporter Martin Brundle at this weekend's Miami Grand Prix, following an embarrassing case of mistaken identity involving star quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Brundle's gaffe saw him confuse Orlando Magic's basketball star Paolo Banchero for the Kansas City Chiefs' signal-caller during a meeting two years ago.

US Sun journalist Steve Brenner claims that Mahomes and his wife Brittany, along with fellow Chiefs star Travis Kelce and pop icon Taylor Swift, are set to attend the 2024 Miami Grand Prix - with the race itself taking place on Sunday, when Brundle will take to the grid.

Mahomes and Kelce are both investors in the Alpine F1 team and sources say they've been eager to get to the track "for a while." Brundle might find himself crossing paths with Mahomes once again at the Miami race, reliving an amusing gaffe from the 2022 Grand Prix.

On the hunt for celebrity attendees, Brundle spotted a towering figure navigating the crowd and erroneously believed it to be Mahomes, even calling out "Patrick." The athlete was not Mahomes but Duke forward Banchero, who was the presumptive No. 1 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft.

Fumbling through a conversation about the F1 vibe, Brundle finally realised his error, sheepishly admitting: "It's not Patrick, and that's why you ignored me in the beginning. What's your name, sir? ".

When it was revealed who Banchero actually was, Brundle declared, "Well, I thought I was talking to somebody else. I'm sorry about that," before adding in a quieter tone: "whatever."

Bizarrely, this wasn't the only instance of Banchero and Brundle meeting unexpectedly. The pair had a rather amusing reunion at last year's Miami Grand Prix, reminiscing over their initial encounter.

"I found Paolo Banchero, who, I found him last year - I just didn't get the name right in the beginning," admitted Brundle. "But what a year you've had since you made me infamous."

In response and reflecting on his first year with Orlando Magic, Banchero replied that it's "been a hell of a year," chiming in: "I'm honoured that you know my name now, man. It's been a hell of a year, and you're great at what you do."

It seems likely that Brundle will endeavour not to replicate the error should he bump into Mahomes himself at a race this coming year. The quarterback, meanwhile, will anticipate more positive on-track performances from Alpine, the team currently languishing at the bottom of the Constructors Standings without a single point.

NFL star Mahomes became a co-owner of Alpine last October, alongside sports luminaries like Kelce, golfer Rory McIlroy, and boxing sensation Anthony Joshua. Explaining his decision to invest in an F1 team as straightforward, Mahomes confidently stated: "I think everybody can see the appeal."

"I've been able to get to a couple of races now, seeing the environment, you see 'Drive To Survive' on Netflix and how competitive it is," Mahomes said. "We were able to go to some of those races and get a little stake in the game."

"They came to us with the opportunity. I jumped at it. I'm excited for it," he continued. "Having [Kelce] with me, it'll be cool to see some of the events, maybe some of the other races other than Miami."

2024-05-04T16:38:34Z dg43tfdfdgfd