Johnny Herbert insists Red Bull remain a serious threat despite McLaren’s early edge. The title fight is far from over.
Johnny Herbert believes McLaren made the right call by letting their drivers race freely at the Japanese Grand Prix—even if it might have cost them some valuable points. And in the end, it was Max Verstappen and Red Bull who reaped the rewards.
“I’m glad Zak Brown let them race,” said the former F1 driver. “Did McLaren lose out? Maybe. But ultimately, they were beaten by Max and Red Bull, who are still very much in the title fight. I’ve never counted them out—you simply can’t.”
Herbert points out that Red Bull has never really been far off the pace. “McLaren may have had a slight edge, but Red Bull’s always been right there. Could that Suzuka strategy hurt their championship hopes? In some ways, yes.”
“Just like last year, Max—and before him, Schumacher—built championship wins on strong early-season form. Everyone else spent the year trying to catch up. Now, after a few races, Norris only has a one-point lead. McLaren haven’t capitalized as much as they should have.”
Despite McLaren’s impressive pace, Herbert never saw them as clear title favorites. “I never thought it would be a walk in the park for McLaren. They’ll have to earn it. That said, they probably have the best all-around package right now—the car just works everywhere.”
As the season heats up, he expects both Lando Norris’s and Oscar Piastri’s camps to push for more team support. “Of course Mark Webber will be talking to Zak Brown about team orders—that’s natural,” said Herbert.
“But the key is maintaining harmony within the team. I understand where Webber’s coming from, but McLaren know exactly where both drivers stand in the championship.”
“Did they lose the title last year partly because of this? Yes, in the drivers’ championship at least. They were always on the back foot, trying to claw back what Max gained early on.”
“At some point, you have to back the right driver at the right time—help them maximize points when it matters most. Will Lando’s team push for that? Absolutely. And Oscar’s side will too, of course.”
Even though Norris has a slight upper hand, Herbert doesn’t believe there’s favoritism in the garage. “I don’t think Lando is overprotected. He’s supported, sure—but not shielded. That was part of the problem last year.”
“I think back to Hungary, when Lando had to retire. That could’ve been a defining win for him, a moment to elevate his season. That kind of backing is what Max had last year—and it looks like McLaren are learning from that now.”
“At Suzuka, they didn’t swap their drivers, and in my opinion, that was the right call.”
- Explore Further>Russell ‘Needs to Do More’ to Keep His Mercedes F1 Seat
- Follow us on >FACEBOOK and >TWITTERfor F1 updates
McLaren Didn’t Capitalise Enough – Says Herbert McLaren Didn’t Capitalise Enough – Says Herbert
