Sky Sports Formula 1 reporter Martin Brundle didn’t get Paolo Banchero and Patrick Mahomes confused at this year’s Miami Grand Prix, and Banchero appears to have become a regular at the event.
One year after the reporter mixed up the then-Duke star and the Chiefs quarterback, Brundle again crossed paths with Banchero on Sunday, and the pair joked about the mix-up during an interview.
“I found Paolo Banchero, who, I found him last year — I just didn’t get the name right in the beginning,” Brundle said. “But what a year you’ve had since you made me infamous.”
Banchero, who the Magic selected with the No. 1 overall pick following his encounter with Brundle last May, said that it’s “been a hell of a year” as he transitioned to the NBA following his lone season with the Blue Devils.
“And I’m honored that you know my name now, man,” Banchero continued. “It’s been a hell of a year, and you’re great at what you do.”
Brundle then asked about the atmosphere at the Miami Grand Prix compared to a basketball environment, and Banchero responded that there’s “just a rush being here.”
The scene between the pair at last year’s Miami Grand Prix started with Brundle trying to reach Banchero, who he thought was Mahomes, for an interview.
Brundle even shouted, “Patrick,” as he tried to track him down, thinking that Banchero — or, from Brundle’s perspective, Mahomes — couldn’t hear him due to the noise around the track.
But then, once the Sky Sports interview started, Brundle realized he made a mistake.
He started by asking Banchero what he thought of “this atmosphere” during the inaugural Miami Grand Prix, and Banchero replied with, “This is crazy. I’ve never been to an F1 race. This is spectacular.”
The pair then discussed how the racers were “locked in” before it began, with Banchero remarking how it “reminds me of myself.”
Then, Brundle revealed into the microphone that it wasn’t Mahomes, which is why Banchero “ignored me in the beginning.”
The 2022 Miami Grand Prix occurred about six weeks before the Magic selected Banchero with the top pick in the NBA draft, and Banchero averaged 20.0 points and 6.9 rebounds per game in his first professional season to win Rookie of the Year.
Max Verstappen won the race Sunday — and has clinched both editions of the Miami Grand Prix — after starting in ninth, passing each of the cars in front of him before topping Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez, who won the pole position, for the top spot.
