Usher performs during his Past Present Future tour at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit on Thursday, September 12, 2024. Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Usher Under Fire For Refusing Martin Brundle F1 Gridwalk Interview

Originally posted on F1 on SI | By Nelson Espinal | Last updated Apr 21, 2025 4:13 AM ET

During the pre-race grid walk with Martin Brundle, pop star Usher played it cool and refused to answer the pundit's questions, sparking a firestorm on social media.

Usher, a multiple Grammy Award-winning recording artist, attended the race in Saudi Arabia, where he was seemingly watching from the Ferrari garage and was pictured with Lewis Hamilton.

Brundle walks around the chaotic F1 grid before the race, trying to interview drivers, team personnel, and any stars being hosted by the racing teams.

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During the build-up in Jeddah, Brundle saw the musician walking towards him and tried to get an interview with him.

"I don't know if we're going to get anywhere near him, but we'll give it a try," he said on the Sky Sports broadcast.

lewis and usher in the ferrari garage, with usher playing in the background pic.twitter.com/XKMIG9ZigE
— haseenamehmood (@haseenamehmood) April 20, 2025

He approached Usher by saying "Usher, Martin Brundle, British TV," but he was ignored, and the artist's bodyguard stated that Usher was not in the mood to talk.

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"Okay, no worries. We'd have loved to have talked to him and see what he feels about all of this," Brundle said, before being rejected again and moving on.

Usher made eye contact with Brundle, though he seemed disinterested in stopping to chat. Brundle shrugged off the rejection, though viewers of the Sky Sports broadcast were not as forgiving.

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"People on the F1 grid who 'think' they are VIP status need to chill out and if approached by TV have the manors to say Hi!," one user said on social media.

Lewis inviting Usher into the Ferrari garage️ pic.twitter.com/KgaRP2n4l4
— JustM (@maylhrari) April 20, 2025

"Usher and his bodyguard goon once again showing how a ‘celebrity’ shouldn’t be allowed on the grid @MBrundleF1 is F1 royalty but as you know nothing about it you wouldn’t know," a second person commented.

"Terrible look for @usher as @skysports Martin Brundle was attempting to get a word with him on grid prior to the @F1Saudi Grand Prix. Another diva moment where Usher’s 'people' summarily 'dismissed' Martin as he sought comment from one of this year’s pre-race musical headliners," a third added.

"The arrogance of these celebs that walk the grid is astounding. Usher you and your bodyguard don't belong there as you clearly don't know enough about @F1 Martin Brundle's gridwalk is an institution pre-race," another posted.

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This article first appeared on F1 on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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