Martin Brundle has revealed the “pretty harsh” way he learned he no longer had a seat in Formula 1. 

The Briton finished fifth in the 1996 Japanese Grand Prix, which marked the 16th and final round of the season. Brundle did not know it at the time, but it would be his final grand prix in F1.

Brundle expected to be retained by Jordan for the 1997 season but found out he was to be replaced by Ralf Schumacher and Giancarlo Fisichella in brutal fashion, as he recalled in an interview with Sky Sports F1.

"I finished fifth in my final F1 race as I finished fifth in my first F1 race. It was Japan 1996,” Brundle explained.

“Long story actually, I thought I was driving for Eddie [Jordan] in '97. When I see drivers getting farewell tours and all that sort of thing, I'm slightly envious.

“I was at what I call the racing car show at Birmingham, and, 'How long do you have?' I said, 'I don't know another hour. Do you need me to do something?’

“They were like, 'No, it might be better if you're not here because Eddie announced Ralf Schumacher and Giancarlo Fisichella as the two drivers.' And that's how I found out I was no longer a Formula 1 driver that day.

"It all got a little bit murky, but honestly, if I were Eddie, I'd have done the same thing because I was at the end of my shelf life, and he got two young charges in there. But it was still a pretty harsh way to find out.”

Brundle, who never won an F1 race but finished on the podium nine times, was offered a seat at Sauber in 1997 but decided against it and instead began his career as a pundit and commentator on ITV.

He worked at ITV, initially alongside the legendary Murray Walker, until joining BBC for the 2009 season. 

Brundle has been an ever-present on Sky Sports F1’s broadcasting team since it took over broadcasting rights in the UK in 2012.