Johnny Herbert has claimed complaints from “sure folks” pushed the FIA to sack him from his position as F1 steward.
Herbert was faraway from his position as F1 steward for the upcoming 2025 season.
The FIA introduced in January that it had “mutually agreed” with Herbert to half methods, pointing in the direction of his position as a pundit as a key motive for the choice.
Herbert was outspoken amid Max Verstappen’s aggressive driving on observe throughout the 2024 marketing campaign.
Herbert’s criticism irked Jos Verstappen, who questioned the Briton’s feedback, given his position as a steward.
Chatting with CasinoApps.com, Herbert has instructed that the FIA have been swayed by complaints made to the governing physique’s president, Mohammed Ben Sulayem.
“It didn’t come from inside the FIA initially. It was all to do with chitter chatter to the FIA that made them change their perspective,” Herbert defined.
“The whole lot I’d performed all 12 months lengthy in 2024 had been mentioned and accepted. Two days earlier than I used to be ultimately given the sack over the cellphone, I’d been advised all was good for 2025. Then it wasn’t.
“I perceive how every thing happened. However I’m not going to level the finger.
“However as I mentioned, there have been sure individuals who did really communicate with the President [of the FIA] and that’s why the president lastly made that call to do away with me.”
Herbert: FIA sacking was “upsetting”
Reflecting additional on his dismissal, Herbert admitted it was “upsetting on the time” as a result of he loved the position.
He additionally rejected claims of being “biased”.
“I’m completely advantageous with [parting ways with the FIA],” he added. “It was upsetting on the time as a result of I loved it, and I felt that I used to be doing the most effective job and with no bias in the direction of anyone.
“I had guidelines and tips that I needed to cope with, not alone, however with three different FIA stewards as properly.
“I don’t assume I used to be doing something that was favouring anyone. I solely did what I believed was needed. If it was Lewis, if it was Max, if it was Lando, or any of the drivers on the racetrack.
“I had no bitterness in the direction of any of these drivers to resolve, ‘properly I don’t like him, so I’m going to provide him a penalty simply because.’
“That’s not the way it works, and it by no means will work like that. That’s the place I felt that the best way it was aimed toward me, accusing me of bias, was completely ridiculous.
“However that’s the place there was this continuous British bias discuss for some motive, and I don’t get it.”
