It is rare for a Formula 1 steward to have to justify a controversial decision in the media. However, former driver Johnny Herbert felt compelled to explain the double time penalty for Max Verstappen during the Mexican GP. Over the past few days, the Englishman has come under fire for allegedly acting out of bias.
“There are certain stewards who do not like Max (Verstappen),” Jos Verstappen recently told De Telegraaf. He was referring to Tim Mayer, the son of McLaren founder Teddy Mayer, and Johnny Herbert, the British ex-driver who is said to have a grudge against Verstappen junior. In a conversation with Action Network, Herbert explained that he is absolutely not biased; according to him, he strictly adhered to the rules and had no choice but to penalize Verstappen’s ‘appalling’ behavior.
“In Mexico, we simply followed the guidelines,” said Johnny Herbert. “We made the right decision; the total twenty-second time penalty for Max Verstappen was not excessively harsh. Was his driving style over the top? Yes, it was.” According to the stewards, the Dutchman deliberately tried to push title rival Lando Norris off the track. Due to the double time penalty, he eventually finished sixth, allowing Norris to reduce his deficit in the championship.
‘Terrible Mentality’
“I’m a big fan of Max Verstappen and it frustrates me enormously when he drives like he did in Mexico,” Herbert continued. “At this stage of the championship, he simply needs to stay out of trouble and drive as well as possible. Sometimes he falls back into that terrible mentality of trying to gain an advantage by running a fellow driver off the track. He really doesn’t need that. Just win in a fair way.”
Johnny Herbert, who will once again act as a steward at the upcoming sprint weekend in Brazil, doesn’t think Verstappen will change his behavior. “Those penalties won’t deter him from pushing Norris off the track again,” he explained. “His intention seems mainly to help Ferrari to a one-two finish. Norris, on the other hand, talked about ‘fair racing’, and that’s what the stewards want to see. Unfortunately, I don’t see Verstappen changing; he simply wants to win the championship.” Herbert strongly denies any bias on the part of the stewards. “We adhere to the rules and guidelines of the FIA,” he concluded. “To claim that we are ‘biased’ is ridiculous.”
