The Federation’s statement
Through its social media channels, the FIA announced that Johnny Herbert will no longer serve as a steward at Formula 1 Grands Prix: “With regret, we announce today that Johnny Herbert will no longer hold the role of F1 driver steward for the FIA. Johnny is widely respected and has brought experience and expertise to his role. However, after discussion, it was mutually decided that his duties as an FIA steward and those as a media pundit were incompatible. We thank him for his service and wish him well for the future.”
What happened
Over the years, Johnny Herbert has frequently given interviews to various media outlets associated with betting sites, discussing the world of Formula 1 from all angles. The latest one, given to casinoutanspelpaus.io, was quite lengthy and covered multiple topics, seemingly becoming the last straw.
In the interview with the Swedish site, Herbert had openly shared his expectations for the Australian Grand Prix, stating that he had been selected by the FIA as a steward for the event.
In recent months, Herbert had repeatedly criticized Max Verstappen’s behavior, particularly in his confrontations with British drivers. His remarks even prompted Verstappen’s father, Jos, to lash out at the former British driver: “I believe an FIA steward should absolutely not speak to journalists. He should simply do his job as a steward, and that was certainly not the case here.”
Herbert defended himself by saying: “As I have always said, I am Johnny Herbert the steward and the professional during a race weekend, and Johnny Herbert the pundit who expresses his opinions at other times. When I am a steward, I do not express any opinions.”
Evidently, the FIA did not share his view and relieved him of his duties.
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