Johnny Herbert opens up on life after FIA exit

Former F1 driver Johnny Herbert has opened up on life after departing the FIA as a race steward, with him having since become an ambassador for historic manufacturer, Lola. 

Herbert departed motorsport's governing body at the end of January earlier this year after the FIA deemed that his role as a pundit was "incompatible" with being a steward. 

Since leaving, Herbert has worked with Lola as a global brand ambassador, and recently drove the British manufacturer's Formula E car at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. 

Lola is a brand rich in motorsport history, and has previously been involved in every major championship, including, F1, IndyCar and endurance. The company was founded by Eric Broadley in 1958, but was acquired by Till Bechtolsheimer in 2022. 

In discussion with RacingNews365 during an interview, Herbert opened up on his transition from being an FIA steward to a Lola ambassador, saying: "Well, it's been nice. It's a situation of being involved with the team. 

"I've done it a couple of times over the years, I've always been involved with the team as a driver. So, you know the inner workings and how that all works. 

"And with Lola, with the name of Lola, the historic value that it has, the historic success that its had, but it was one of those names that we all missed, and it's lovely going to Goodwood where a lot of people have that memory of what Lola was about."

Good Lola news coming

Lola enjoyed major success in the 90s in the United States, with the manufacturer having powered 1992 F1 champion Nigel Mansell to the 1993 IndyCar title with Newman/Haas racing. 

Sportscar victories were also enjoyed in the 60s with the T70, whilst Herbert tested a Lola-powered IndyCar in 2001 at Rockingham – a British circuit which stopped hosting motorsport in 2018.

Now, it is pursuing success in Formula E in partnership with Yamaha and ABT Motorsport. In its maiden campaign, former F1 driver Lucas di Grassi secured a podium earlier this year in Miami.

The manufacturer is finding its feet again having been ceased trading in 2012 before Bechtolsheimer acquired it, with Herbert having teased that good news is coming soon.

Herbert continued: "Especially for me, especially when Nigel Mansell was winning the championship, the success that Lola had racing in America, the success it had at Le Mans, the T70, and all the different racing series that it's been involved with. And it's lovely even for me to see the name. 

"I drove a Lola in IndyCar, at Rockingham, strangely enough, but to be part of it, seeinf the Formula E team doing a good job this year, getting that podium with Lucas [Di Grassi], obviously, in Miami.

"But it's moving forward in a positive way. The relationship with Yamaha is very important, but there's also a lot of planned things that we are working on at Lola for the future, a lot of good news will be coming out very, very soon."