Herbert dropped as FIA driver steward over media roles

Johnny Herbert has been dropped as a Formula 1 driver steward by the FIA after it was agreed that his role as a media pundit was “incompatible” with the position.

The three-time grand prix winner drove for teams including Lotus, Benetton, Sauber and Stewart during an F1 career that also yielded seven podiums from 160 starts. Since retiring in 2000, Herbert has gone onto become a pundit and was part of the Sky Sports line-up for a decade until the end of the 2022 season.

However, having also served as a driver steward for the FIA -- a program that utilizes former F1 drivers on a rotational basis -- Herbert came under fire from Jos Verstappen for comments he made about Max Verstappen’s driving at the Mexico City Grand Prix last year.

The Red Bull driver was handed two separate 10-second time penalties for his approach to a battle with Lando Norris, and Herbert was serving as a steward at that race and later voiced as opinion that he didn’t believe the punishments would stop Verstappen taking a similar approach in future.

Those comments led Verstappen’s father to tell Dutch media: “I think a steward shouldn’t talk to the press at all and just deliver work all the time. And that’s certainly not the case now.”

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While Herbert recently suggested he would be returning as a driver steward, perhaps even for the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, the FIA has now stated he will not be retained due to his commitments to give his opinion as a pundit.

“It is with regret that we announce today that Johnny Herbert will no longer fulfill the position of F1 driver steward for the FIA,” an FIA spokesperson said. “Johnny is widely respected and brought invaluable experience and expertise to his role.

“However, after discussion, it was mutually agreed that his duties as an FIA steward and that of a media pundit were incompatible. We thank him for his service and wish him well in his future endeavors.”

Herbert’s removal follows that of the organizer of FIA world championships in the United States and senior steward Tim Mayer -- who also served alongside Herbert as a steward in Mexico City last year -- who told the BBC he was sacked by text message last year for what the governing body informed him was a conflict of interest between his two positions.