Johnny Herbert has been dropped as a Method 1 driver steward by the FIA after it was agreed that his function as a media pundit was “incompatible” with the place.
The three-time grand prix winner drove for groups together with Lotus, Benetton, Sauber and Stewart throughout an F1 profession that additionally yielded seven podiums from 160 begins. Since retiring in 2000, Herbert has gone onto change into a pundit and was a part of the Sky Sports activities line-up for a decade till the top of the 2022 season.
Nonetheless, having additionally served as a driver steward for the FIA — a program that makes use of former F1 drivers on a rotational foundation — Herbert got here underneath fireplace from Jos Verstappen for feedback he made about Max Verstappen’s driving on the Mexico Metropolis Grand Prix final 12 months.
The Crimson Bull driver was handed two separate 10-second time penalties for his strategy to a battle with Lando Norris, and Herbert was serving as a steward at that race and later voiced as opinion that he didn’t consider the punishments would cease Verstappen taking an analogous strategy in future.
These feedback led Verstappen’s father to inform Dutch media: “I believe a steward shouldn’t speak to the press in any respect and simply ship work on a regular basis. And that’s actually not the case now.”
Whereas Herbert not too long ago instructed he can be returning as a driver steward, even perhaps for the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, the FIA has now acknowledged he won’t be retained as a consequence of his commitments to present his opinion as a pundit.
“It’s with remorse that we announce as we speak that Johnny Herbert will now not fulfill the place of F1 driver steward for the FIA,” an FIA spokesperson stated. “Johnny is broadly revered and introduced invaluable expertise and experience to his function.
“Nonetheless, after dialogue, it was mutually agreed that his duties as an FIA steward and that of a media pundit had been incompatible. We thank him for his service and need him properly in his future endeavors.”
Herbert’s removing follows that of the organizer of FIA world championships in the USA and senior steward Tim Mayer — who additionally served alongside Herbert as a steward in Mexico Metropolis final 12 months — who advised the BBC he was sacked by textual content message final 12 months for what the governing physique knowledgeable him was a battle of curiosity between his two positions.
