FIA steward Johnny Herbert has insisted that he is
entitled to an opinion after Jos Verstappen aired concerns that F1’s governing
body risks having “the appearance of a conflict of interest.”
Herbert recently came under fire after Jos’s son, Max Verstappen,
was hit with a rare 20-second penalty at the Mexican Grand Prix.
Johnny Herbert responds to Jos Verstappen’s criticism
Verstappen was hit with two 10-second penalties for
separate incidents with McLaren driver Lando Norris in Mexico, with Herbert
present on the four-man stewards’ panel that decided the Red Bull driver’s
punishment.
Speaking to Dutch publication De Telegraaf after
the race, Mr Verstappen claimed that the FIA risks having “the appearance of a
conflict of interest” and suggested that a couple of the stewards on duty in
Mexico “don’t like [Max] anyway.”
He added: “The FIA should take a good look at the
staffing of the stewards, who they put there and whether there is no appearance
of a conflict of interest.
“From former drivers, for example, who have more sympathy
for certain drivers or [teams].”
De Telegraaf claimed that Mr Verstappen was
believed to be referring to Herbert, the former Sky F1 UK television pundit who
publicly critciised Verstappen’s “horrible mindset” days later, and Tim Mayer,
the son of the late McLaren co-founder Teddy Mayer.
Mr Verstappen doubled down on his complaints at last
weekend’s Brazilian Grand Prix, telling Viaplay that “a
steward should not talk to the press at all and do a constant job”, claiming
“that is definitely not the case now.”
Issuing a response to Mr Verstappen complaints, Herbert
insisted that his personal opinions do not have any bearing on his judgement in
the stewards’ room.
And he likened the debate over his behaviour to Mr
Verstappen’s vocal dissatisfaction with the Red Bull team throughout the F1
2024 season.
He told SafestBettingSites.co.uk: “As I have always said, I am
Johnny Herbert the steward and the professional during a race weekend and
Johnny Herbert a pundit at other times who expresses what he thinks.
“When I am a steward, I do not express any opinions.
“Everyone has an opinion. Martin Brundle has an opinion. Why
can’t I when I am not at the racetrack?
“The racetrack has been my world for 50 years. If I don’t
quite agree with what I see on the racetrack I will say so. It is not just Max.
I’ll criticise anyone if I feel it is warranted.
“I understand it from Jos’s point of view because it is his
son. Is there any bias? No, of course not. I wasn’t the only one to think that
Max was over the top in Mexico. Lando Norris and Zak Brown thought so too.
“When I do speak to people on a Monday or Tuesday that is outside my stewarding responsibilities.
.webp)
