Herbert defends Sky over F1 bias claims: 'You’re going to favour your own British drivers'

Johnny Herbert has dismissed the notion he held "bias towards anybody" when he worked for the FIA as an F1 steward.

Whilst doing so, he also defended the United Kingdom's F1 broadcaster, Sky Sports, which has - with its pundits - been on the receiving end of similar criticism.

The Briton was axed from the voluntary role with the FIA in January after the motorsport governing body deemed his punditry work to be incompatible with the demands of officiating grands prix.

Accusations of bias aimed at Herbert over the back end of the 2024 campaign brought the issue front and centre and set on course the developments that led to his eventual firing, but the 60-year-old maintains he never showed - or felt - any partiality towards or against any driver racing in F1.

"I'm absolutely fine with [parting ways with the FIA]," Herbert told CasinoApps. "It was upsetting at the time because I enjoyed it, and I felt that I was doing the best job and with no bias towards anybody.

"I had rules and guidelines that I had to deal with, not on my own, but with three other FIA stewards as well.

"I don't think I was doing anything that was favouring anybody. I only did what I thought was necessary. If it was Lewis [Hamilton], if it was Max [Verstappen], if it was Lando [Norris], or any of the drivers on the racetrack.

"I had no bitterness towards any of those drivers to decide: 'Well I don't like him, so I'm going to give him a penalty just because.'

"That’s not how it works, and it never will work like that. That's where I felt that the way it was aimed at me, accusing me of bias, was absolutely ridiculous. Am I biased? Absolutely not."

Bias in British F1 broadcasting?

In particular, Max Verstappen and his closest allies, including his father Jos, were displeased with certain comments Herbert made over the Red Bull driver's contentious on track battles with Lando Norris in the United States and Mexico City Grand Prix.

That set the ball rolling on conversations regarding the conflict of interest between Herbert's twin roles, but the three-time grand prix winner was not the only British pundit that caught the ire of the Verstappen camp.

Damon Hill, who left Sky Sports at the end of the year, was also said to have ruffled feathers with his remarks. The 1996 F1 drivers' champion has since been outspoken on Verstappen and Red Bull.

"But that's where there has been this continual British bias talk for some reason, and I don't get it," Herbert continued, addressing the accusations levied against his former employer, who he worked with until the end of 2022.

"Sky have been getting it as well. But they're a goddamn British broadcaster! So, you're going to favour your own British drivers.

"What happens for instance when the football World Cup happens? Will you support your team? Yes, absolutely. I don't see any difference from that point of view."