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.
“Jos has always been very outspoken about what is happening at Red Bull.
“Is that his position to be? It is all very similar. If you have an opinion and you want to make it, then you can.”
Verstappen took a major step towards a fourth consecutive World Championship at last weekend’s Brazilian Grand Prix by winning from 17th on the grid at Interlagos.
He leads Norris by 62 points ahead of the final three races of F1 2024 in Las Vegas, Qatar and Abu Dhabi.