Born and raised in King's Lynn, Norfolk, Brundle began his career in grass track racing at age 12 before moving into Hot Rod racing and the British Saloon Car Championship. He progressed to British Formula Three in 1982 and finished as runner-up to Ayrton Senna in 1983 following a closely contested title battle. Both drivers moved to Formula One in 1984, with Brundle joining the Tyrrell Racing Organisation. He finished fifth in his debut at the Brazilian Grand Prix and crossed the line second at the Detroit Grand Prix. However, at the 1984 Dallas Grand Prix, Brundle suffered a severe crash during practice, breaking both feet and his ankles. The damage to his left ankle was so significant that doctors initially considered amputating his left foot. Although he recovered, the injuries left him with permanent physical limitations, including an inability to run or use left-foot braking.
Brundle's early Formula One record was further complicated by off-track developments. Later in 1984, Tyrrell was disqualified from the World Championship due to a technical infringement, and Brundle's results for the season—including his Detroit podium—were wiped from the official records. He remained with Tyrrell for 1985 and 1986, though the team struggled to compete with major works outfits. In 1987, he moved to the West German Zakspeed team. During that season, he scored the only two points the team would achieve in its five-year Formula One history by finishing fifth at the San Marino Grand Prix.
Seeking more competitive machinery, Brundle turned to sportscars with Jaguar and TWR. In 1988, he won the World Sportscar Championship with a record points haul and also secured victory at the 24 Hours of Daytona. That same year, he served as a test driver for Williams and stood in for Nigel Mansell at the Belgian Grand Prix. He returned to Formula One full-time with Brabham in 1989, but after the team proved uncompetitive, he returned to Jaguar for 1990, winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans in an XJR-12.
Brundle joined Benetton in 1992 to partner Michael Schumacher. He achieved five podium finishes and a career-best sixth in the World Drivers' Championship, outracing Schumacher at several events including Silverstone, and scoring a notable second at Monza. Despite this performance, he was dropped by Benetton for the 1993 season in favor of Riccardo Patrese, a move that shocked the F1 paddock. He spent 1993 with Ligier, finishing seventh in the championship as the highest-placed driver in a car without active suspension.
In 1994, Brundle joined McLaren, though the move coincided with the team's first winless season since 1980. He survived a spectacular accident with Jos Verstappen at the Brazilian Grand Prix and later finished second at the Monaco Grand Prix. After a split season with Ligier in 1995—where he shared a seat with Aguri Suzuki to satisfy engine partner Mugen-Honda—he moved to Jordan for his final Formula One season in 1996. He retired with nine podiums and 98 championship points.
Transitioning to broadcasting in 1997, Brundle became a highly regarded analyst for ITV, the BBC, and Sky Sports. He is known for his "grid walk" segments, which began at the 1997 British Grand Prix, and has won multiple RTS Television Sports Awards. His career has faced physical and professional challenges; in 2017, he disclosed that he had suffered a heart attack while running to conduct podium interviews at the 2016 Monaco Grand Prix.
Brundle has remained active in the sport through driver management and occasional racing appearances, including a 2012 return to Le Mans alongside his son, Alex. In the 2025 New Year Honours, he was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for his services to motor racing and sports broadcasting.