Johnny Herbert has spoken out for the first time since being sacked as an FIA steward, and he hasn’t minced words about “certain people” he feels had an impact on his firing.

Namely, Herbert is discussing allegations of bias that were lobbed his way by the Verstappen family during a contentious 2024 season that saw the Dutch driver go head-to-head with Briton Lando Norris.

Johnny Herbert points finger at Verstappens for FIA sacking

For years, former Formula 1 driver Johnny Herbert has balanced a punditry career alongside an occasional role as an FIA steward, but rising tensions throughout the 2024 season brought to light allegations of bias.

In his role as a pundit, Herbert has never shied away from making his opinion known, and that has often involved a certain level of preference toward drivers of his own country.

Yet in 2024, as Briton Lando Norris looked to have a shot at battling Dutch driver Max Verstappen for the championship, Verstappen began to wonder about bias within the FIA, particularly regarding the race stewards.

Verstappen raised some legitimate concerns his treatment within the sport, particularly when he faced harsh penalties from FIA stewards who had been vocal in criticizing his driving. While steward/pundits like Herbert maintained their right to speak their mind while also being able to fairly legislate the sport of Formula 1, the FIA seemed to take a different view, and Herbert was sacked at the end of the 2024 season.

According to Herbert, the firing came as something as a shock.

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“It didn’t come from within the FIA initially,” Herbert told CasinoApps.com. “It was all to do with chitter chatter to the FIA that made them change their point of view.”

According to Herbert, “Everything I’d done all year long in 2024 had been discussed and accepted,” to the point where, two days prior to being fired, he had been told that his position as a rotating FIA steward was safe for 2025.

“I understand how everything came about. But I am not going to point the finger,” Herbert said.

“But as I said, there were certain people who did actually speak with the President [of the FIA] and that’s why the president finally made that decision to get rid of me.”

Herbert went on to ridicule his inability to support British drivers as “ridiculous.”

“The Verstappens keep intimating there’s a bias. I keep reading about the supposed bias,” he said, regarding the ongoing discussions about British bias.

“I read that and then wonder, ‘So I can’t support a British driver because I’m British?’ I can’t support Lewis or George or Lando. It’s ridiculous.”

Herbert also pointed out that the bias chatter was also a double-edged sword.

“But coming the other way is fine apparently as was the case in what happened with me,” he explained. “If you’re a Dutchman, you can sort of have a go at the Brits and say the Brits have got no real morals for how they are as race fans. It’s supposed to go both ways isn’t it.”

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