FIA makes right call in dropping Johnny Herbert as F1 steward - Horner

Dominika Jordan
Jan 31, 2025, 03:07 PM ET

FIA removes Johnny Herbert as F1 steward due to conflict of interest, with Horner support.

Red Bull Racing/Red Bull Content Pool

Red Bull chief cites conflict of interest due to former racer's media role.

In a decision that has sparked conversation throughout the motorsport community, Formula 1's governing body FIA has decided to remove Johnny Herbert from his position as a race steward. According to Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner, the move was justified due to conflicts of interest stemming from Herbert's ongoing media commitments.

Herbert, who previously worked as a pundit for Sky Sports and currently contributes to a betting website, ran afoul of the FIA's regulations which deemed these activities "incompatible" with his role as a race steward. This ruling led to his dismissal on Wednesday.

Christian Horner firmly supported the FIA's decision, dismissing any notions that Red Bull or their star driver, Max Verstappen, influenced the outcome. Verstappen and his father Jos had previously voiced their dissatisfaction after Herbert was critical of the Dutch driver last season. Herbert was the steward on duty during the Mexican Grand Prix when Verstappen received two 10-second penalties for incidents involving McLaren's Lando Norris.

"It has absolutely nothing to do with Max. But it's absolutely the right decision," Horner commented to Sky Sports. "You cannot have stewards working in the media. You don't have it in the Premiership, you don't have it in any other form of professional sport. It's totally inappropriate. You're either on the sporting regulatory side or you're on the media side. You can't have a foot in both camps."

Adding to the discussion, McLaren boss Zak Brown called for a reevaluation of the stewarding system in Formula 1. Brown suggested that the sport, which is owned by Liberty Media, should employ full-time professional stewards rather than relying on the current race-by-race setup that depends significantly on unpaid volunteers.

As Formula 1 continues to evolve, the debate over the professionalization and independence of race stewards remains crucial to maintaining the sport's integrity and competitiveness.

The departure of Johnny Herbert highlights the ongoing balancing act between maintaining impartial regulation and accommodating the interests of media engagement in F1's rapidly growing global audience.