F1 pundit Johnny Herbert says Max Verstappen’s intimidation tactics no longer work, as rivals like George Russell fight back on track.
Johnny Herbert remains skeptical about the tactics Max Verstappen employs during races, a stance he has frequently expressed. While he appreciates on-track tension, he dislikes seeing the Red Bull driver cross the line, as he did in Barcelona with what appeared to be a deliberate move against George Russell.
“I want all the drivers to be pushed to their limits,” Herbert stated, while pointing out that the Dutchman’s intimidation strategy is no longer effective, as drivers are no longer afraid.
“The move George Russell pulled off on Max Verstappen was seriously impressive.”
“It was the kind of move we’d usually expect from Verstappen. There have been situations where Verstappen scared off other drivers, preventing them from going on the attack because he could outmuscle them.”
“Now, the drivers are up for the challenge and Verstappen is being attacked more frequently. I want to see the best driver come out on top, and I hope we’ll see more of that this season and in 2026, hopefully with more evenly matched machinery.”
“We’ll continue to see McLaren and Verstappen fighting for wins, but you can add drivers like George Russell and Charles Leclerc to the mix — they can take points away from the likes of Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri, and Verstappen.”
The Briton strongly condemns these kinds of tactics used to win races or even world titles: “We don’t want the dirty side of racing. I go back to 1994, between Michael Schumacher and Damon Hill — Hill was robbed.”
“It wasn’t fair. He should have won the championship in 1994, but he didn’t because Schumacher defended with a damaged suspension after making a mistake and hitting the wall, which took him out of the race, but more importantly, Damon — who should have won that race and the championship.”
“Is that a pure way to win a championship? No, it’s not. You’re not the best driver — you’re trying to go beyond the rules, and that kind of situation should be eliminated swiftly.”