Max Verstappen Criticizes FIA Steward Johnny Herbert and Rival

Max Verstappen Criticizes FIA Steward Johnny Herbert and Rival Leclerc After Controversia…..read more

Max Verstappen, the reigning three-time Formula 1 world champion, has had a season filled with ups and downs, and his frustration has recently been directed at both the FIA and some of his competitors. After a challenging winless streak and ongoing tensions with the sport’s governing body, Verstappen has lashed out at former F1 driver-turned-FIA steward Johnny Herbert, as well as his title rival Charles Leclerc.

The 2024 season started strong for Verstappen, who won seven of the first ten races. His early dominance put him in a commanding position for a fourth consecutive world title. However, after those early victories, the Dutchman encountered a dry spell, going 10 races without a win. This opened the door for rivals Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc to close in on the championship standings. Verstappen’s frustration grew as the season progressed, particularly with the mounting pressure and the media scrutiny.

That all changed dramatically during the Brazilian Grand Prix, where Verstappen delivered one of the most impressive performances of his career. Starting from 17th on the grid, he made an incredible recovery to secure the victory, leaving his rivals in the dust. The result in Brazil extended his championship lead, now 62 points ahead of second-place Norris, putting him on the brink of securing his fourth title.

Despite this, the consequences of Verstappen’s earlier winless streak are still being felt. Red Bull, his team, has dropped to third place in the Constructors’ Championship, and Verstappen is yet to serve a community service-style punishment imposed by the FIA. The sanction was handed to him following an incident at the Singapore Grand Prix, where he swore during an official FIA press conference. This sparked a war of words between Verstappen and the sport’s governing body, with the Dutch driver becoming increasingly disillusioned with his treatment by the FIA.

In the aftermath of the Singapore incident, Verstappen chose to withhold full responses in subsequent press conferences, expressing his frustration with the FIA’s handling of the situation. However, his criticisms didn’t stop there.

Verstappen recently took aim at Johnny Herbert, a former F1 driver who now works as an FIA steward, following remarks Herbert made about Verstappen’s driving style after the Mexican Grand Prix. During the race, Verstappen had been penalized for some on-track infringements, and Herbert was one of the voices publicly criticizing his aggressive approach. Verstappen, clearly irritated by Herbert’s comments, hit back during an interview at the Brazilian Grand Prix, calling Herbert’s accusations “pretty abnormal.”

“He acts like I’m doing it all on purpose,” Verstappen said. “People make it sound like I’m intentionally causing problems on track. But they can’t read my mind. They’re making pretty extreme accusations. Yes, we raced hard in Mexico. That’s true. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. But there’s no need for such dramatic reactions.”

Verstappen’s frustration with Herbert was further compounded by the FIA steward’s comments on Verstappen’s swearing during the Singapore press conference. Herbert had criticized Verstappen for using language that “five-year-olds might hear,” following the Dutchman’s outburst. Verstappen, however, seemed to find hypocrisy in the FIA’s selective enforcement of their rules, especially when it came to another incident involving Leclerc.

The Ferrari driver had also been fined for swearing in a press conference, a situation that Verstappen pointed out seemed to be largely ignored by Herbert. “I didn’t hear Herbert speak up when Charles Leclerc swore in his press conference, which was watched by a much larger audience,” Verstappen remarked. “Maybe the idea was that by that time in Europe, all the five-year-olds would be asleep.”

This pointed critique underscores Verstappen’s frustration not only with his treatment by the FIA but also with what he perceives as inconsistent standards in how penalties and punishments are applied to different drivers. Verstappen’s comments about Herbert and Leclerc reveal his growing dissatisfaction with the governance of the sport and his belief that some rules are enforced with bias.

As the 2024 season nears its conclusion, Verstappen is on the verge of securing a fourth world championship, but his ongoing conflicts with the FIA and his rivals highlight the complex dynamics at play in Formula 1. Despite his dominance on track, it’s clear that Verstappen’s battles off the track continue to fuel his determination to prove both his driving prowess and his stance against what he sees as unfair treatment within the sport.