Former FIA steward Johnny Herbert has opened up about the abuse he faced from “the worst” Formula 1 fans of Max Verstappen.
Herbert, who served as an FIA steward until the end of the 2024 season, has called out a particular section of the Red Bull driver’s fanbase.
The former Benetton man revealed he caught the ire of Verstappen fans after speaking about the Dutchman’s “horrible mindset” when going wheel-to-wheel in an interview with a sports betting website.
Herbert’s media persona also led to his ousting as an F1 steward after the FIA deemed it “incompatible” with his duties for the governing body during race weekends.
In a recent interview with a betting website, the Briton explained how the most abuse he has received has been from the supporters of the four-time World Champion.
“The Dutch fans who took issue with me questioning Max Verstappen,” he said.
“Actually, they weren’t just Dutch. They were from other countries as well: ‘Death to Herbert.’
“They were the worst. They accuse me of being biased. They still do to Martin Brundle.”
Johnny Herbert debunks F1’s ‘British bias’ accusations
Herbert’s tenure in the paddock, after his racing career, was also in the capacity of contributing to Sky Sports’ F1 broadcast services.
The Briton explained how Verstappen’s fans called him out the most on his apparent bias towards British drivers.
In fact, the F1 ‘British bias’ has been a contentious topic of debate amongst F1 fans for quite a while now.
Herbert refused to feel guilty about his open support for drivers like Lewis Hamilton. “They say, ‘You’re biased to Lewis Hamilton.’,” he added.
“Well, we are British – and Lewis is a Brit. You’re Dutch and you support Max and you’re saying we’re biased, but you want us to support Max.
“They can’t have it both ways. Of course we are going to support a British driver, but it’s objective.
“We are wowed by the Flying Dutchman too. If England were playing Holland in football, of course I’m going to support England.”
On the one hand, since his departure from his role as an FIA steward, Herbert doesn’t need to maintain a neutral stance.
But on the other hand, fans may revisit his decisions when he was a steward with a more critical approach in light of his recent comments.
What is certain is that Herbert’s comments will surely divide opinions amongst the F1 fandom.
READ MORE – Red Bull unveils new look for Max Verstappen at F1 Dutch GP
Discussion about this post