Former Formula 1 driver and current FIA steward Johnny Herbert has claimed Max Verstappen making a lunge on Oscar Piastri in Abu Dhabi was “all about intimidation” for F1 2025.

Verstappen looked to pass the McLaren driver at the first corner of the final race of the season, but tagged his tyre and sent both drivers into a spin, resulting in a 10-second penalty for the reigning World Champion and two penalty points.

Johnny Herbert: Max Verstappen move on Oscar Piastri ‘all about intimidation’

The Red Bull driver revealed after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix that he sought Piastri out to apologise to him for that Turn 1 move, hoping to avoid any “weird feelings” building as Formula 1 ended for its winter break.

Piastri corroborated that story after sarcastically quipping on team radio that the lunge was “the move of a World Champion”.

While the attempted overtake was ultimately inconsequential, with the title already wrapped up for Verstappen and McLaren holding on for victory in the Constructors’ standings through a race victory for Lando Norris, three-time Grand Prix winner Herbert explained that such moves from Verstappen are an attempt to lay a marker down around his opponents.

“It is all about intimidation,” Herbert told Coin Poker.

“McLaren are going to be a threat to him next year. We have seen Oscar [Piastri] has the potential to win races and perhaps a World Championship, as of course does Lando [Norris].

“So, when you are wheel to wheel as they were in Abu Dhabi neither was going to give way. You heard the radio communication and Oscar saying, ‘Good’, when he heard Max had been given a penalty. That’s great. We have someone else prepared to stand up to Max.

“That is where we have seen a shift this season. George [Russell] has been having a few issues and verbal confrontations with Max [Verstappen]. This is exactly what Max has done so well for years, using all the weapons he can, and that includes intimidation.

“The other drivers this year have said, ’OK, we are up for that.’ [Charles] Leclerc, Russell, Oscar, Lewis [Hamilton], and we will be seeing more of it from Lando as well.”