Former Formula 1 steward and current pundit Johnny Herbert has recently addressed the significant online abuse he has received, primarily from Max Verstappen’s fanbase. Herbert stated that accusations of bias towards Lewis Hamilton and other British drivers have led to severe criticism, including death threats.
Herbert, who served as an FIA steward until his dismissal ahead of the 2025 F1 season, defended his position. The FIA cited his media commitments as incompatible with the steward role.
During his tenure as a steward, Herbert was part of the panel that issued a 20-second penalty to Verstappen at the 2024 Mexican Grand Prix. He also publicly criticised Verstappen’s driving approach, which drew considerable backlash.
Herbert clarified that while he naturally supports British drivers, his commentary remains objective. He highlighted the irony of Dutch fans accusing him of bias while openly supporting Verstappen.
In related news concerning FIA officials, current steward Vitantonio Liuzzi commented on Max Verstappen’s driving style earlier this month. Liuzzi noted that Verstappen consistently pushes the rules to their limit, making incidents challenging for stewards to analyse.
Liuzzi described Verstappen as a ‘war machine’ on track, stating that the Red Bull driver’s tactics often place officials in difficult positions when managing race incidents.
Meanwhile, Red Bull Racing underwent a significant leadership change in July 2025, with Laurent Mekies taking over as Team Principal and CEO following Christian Horner’s departure.
On the driver front, Arvid Lindblad made his Formula 1 debut with Red Bull’s sister team, Racing Bulls, at the 2026 Australian Grand Prix. Lindblad is the sole rookie on the current 2026 grid.
Regarding the 2026 championship, Max Verstappen’s prospects appear challenging. Red Bull Team Principal Laurent Mekies has indicated that the team does not anticipate winning this season.
Verstappen himself has voiced concerns about the new 2026 regulations, suggesting that the season ‘won’t be easy’ for Red Bull. He is currently 110 points behind championship leader Kimi Antonelli as of late July.
