Ex-F1 driver and now motorsport analyst, Johnny Herbert, has found himself in the eye of the storm recently. Accusations of bias towards certain drivers, including the Dutch superstar Max Verstappen, had been a constant buzz in the second half of 2024, ultimately leading to his dismissal from his role as a rotating FIA steward. However, as the curtains are about to be lifted on the 2025 F1 season, Herbert has broken his silence regarding his true sentiments towards Verstappen.
Interestingly, despite a recent history of discord with the Verstappen family, Herbert has not shied away from showering accolades on the Dutch champion. He unabashedly labels Verstappen as the ‘best driver on the grid.’
In the previous F1 season, Max and his father, Jos Verstappen, raised concerns over what they perceived as inherent bias from the FIA stewards. The contention was that Herbert, due to his outspoken criticism of Verstappen’s racing style, was incapable of making impartial decisions in his role as a steward. This furore led to Herbert’s removal from his steward role early this year.
Despite the unpleasantness, Herbert’s admiration for Verstappen’s prowess as a driver remains unscathed. In a conversation with CasinoApps.com following the Bahrain pre-season testing, Herbert asserted, “Max has clocked a significant number of laps and will always be a contender because, in my opinion, he is presently the best driver on the grid. The onus is on the rest to disprove this.”
Backing the reigning champion to emerge victorious may seem a safe bet, but Herbert insists that the true tussle in 2025 will primarily be between two specific teams vying for the Constructors’ Championship – McLaren and Ferrari.
“In the constructors’ race, it is a toss-up between McLaren and Ferrari,” he observed. “At this point, my money would be on McLaren. Their consistency across various circuits since the latter half of last season has been impressive. The Ferraris, however, still have a point to prove.”
While acknowledging the difficulties in drawing concrete deductions from testing due to the cooler temperatures and unpredictable weather conditions at the Sakhir International Circuit, Herbert nevertheless ventured a few predictions on how the title fight might pan out.
“I’m backing Lando,” Herbert declared. “He’s raring to go. His duel with Max has taught him valuable lessons. He’s figured out what needs to be done to outdo him. However, he needs to tread cautiously around his teammate, Oscar, who I anticipate will also be a strong contender.”
