FIA steward outlines expectations for F1 rule change

Johnny Herbert insists he is not expecting anything out of the ordinary when F1 resumes with the season-opening Australian Grand Prix in March, despite expected changes to racing rules.

The three-time grand prix winner, who is set to steward the round in Melbourne, came under criticism last year for comments he made about on-track action, as he dovetailed his role for the FIA with punditry work.

In particular, remarks he made about Max Verstappen caught the ire of the Dutchman's father, Jos, who Herbert raced against in the latter part of his career before he retired at the end of 2000.

The British driver was not the only person to take exception to the four-time F1 drivers' champion's conduct on track, with the FIA responding by taking a harsher view of his approach to wheel-to-wheel racing.

That has led to more clarity being sought over what is and what is not acceptable, with changes to be penned ahead of the 2025 F1 season getting underway.

However, once agreed and put into action, Herbert does not foresee any unusual situations being created. When asked if there was anything in particular he would be looking out for in Melbourne, he confirmed there was not. 

"No, from a stewarding point of view, I don’t expect anything in Australia," Herbert told Casinoutanspelpaus.io. "It all happens in the moment.

"There are still going to be incidents, there are still going to be complaints from teams and drivers and we’re going to have to deal with that as normal."

Herbert in agreement with new approach to wheel-to-wheel racing

Verstappen came under scrutiny for planting his car on the apex, even if it meant he could not make the corner, a loophole that is likely to be closed.

However, the key change expected regards having to leave a space on the outside. In short, not pushing the other driver off.

After the F1 drivers met with the FIA at the Qatar Grand Prix late last year to gain further clarity and set the wheels of change in motion, George Russell, who is also a Grand Prix Drivers' Association director, suggested the only amendment to the rules would be on leaving space to the outside car between the apex and corner exit.

"I think that's going to be getting binned off", the Mercedes driver said to media including RacingNews365.

Herbert, despite his public comments about Verstappen, is in favour of the altered approach to racing - which will still require the driver on the inside to successfully make the corner.

"The way that the racing rules have gone, it’s made it more as racing was when we were doing karting," he said. "I know George Russell mentioned that, it was crazy, this apex stuff and now we’ve given space on the exits.

"We never did that in karting, that was never part of it. And I never accepted this giving space.

"You have to take that space, that space is for you so you take it and if the other driver is not quite there then he backs out, that’s racing.

"It’s not a rule that says ‘Oh no, you can’t do that’, you’ve got to earn it. The difference we have from last year to this year with the racing is the racing rules."