Johnny Herbert to step down as F1 driver steward
The FIA has just announced that Johnny Herbert will no longer hold the position of F1 driver steward for the FIA.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the FIA announces that Johnny Herbert will no longer hold the position of driver steward in F1 for the FIA.
A surprise departure before the 2025 season
The FIA, the governing body of F1, confirmed on Wednesday that Johnny Herbert had mutually agreed to leave his position, considering that his roles as a steward and media consultant were incompatible.
This announcement comes just days after Johnny Herbert stated that he will continue to serve as a FIA steward during the 2025 F1 season.
It is with regret that we announce that Johnny Herbert will no longer fulfil the position of F1 driver steward for the FIA#FIA pic.twitter.com/e6CTWtAWJZ
— FIA (@fia) January 29, 2025
« It is with regret that we announce today that Johnny Herbert will no longer serve as a driver steward in F1 for the FIA. Johnny is widely respected and has brought invaluable experience and expertise to his role. However, after discussion, it was mutually agreed that his duties as an FIA steward and his role as a media consultant were incompatible. We thank him for his commitment and wish him the best for the rest of his career », can be read in the FIA statement.
A consultant role
In addition to his role as a commissioner, Johnny Herbert continued to work as a consultant and regularly shared his opinions during interviews.
His comments on Max Verstappen, in particular, have earned him criticism. « I think from Max Verstappen’s point of view, yes, aggression will always be part of his driving style, but he continues to improve his skills in racing and qualifying. He still has a lot of resources in reserve if he needs them », he had stated.
« With the evolution of the racing rules, it resembles more what karting used to be in our time. I know George Russell mentioned it: it got crazy, this apex thing, and now we leave space at the exit of corners. We never did that in karting, it wasn’t part of it. And I never accepted this idea of leaving space. »
Johnny Herbert had added: « From the marshals’ point of view, I don’t expect anything particular in Australia. Everything happens in the moment. There will always be incidents, complaints from teams and drivers, and we will have to manage that as usual. »
