Ex-FIA steward slams Max Verstappen fan abuse as Lewis Hamilton accusation addressed

Former F1 driver and steward Johnny Herbert is speaking out about the relentless online 𝓪𝓫𝓾𝓼𝓮 he says he’s faced—and he’s pointing the finger squarely at Max Verstappen’s most passionate fans, who he claims have sent him some of the worst messages of his career.

Herbert, who served as an FIA steward and now works as a pundit for Sky Sports F1, says the hate ramped up whenever he criticized the Dutch superstar. According to Herbert, the attacks included chilling phrases like “Death to Herbert,” and they didn’t just come from Dutch fans—supporters from other countries piled on too.

The controversy hit a peak after the 2024 Mexican Grand Prix, when both Max Verstappen and his father Jos publicly slammed Herbert for speaking to the media while serving as a steward. Jos argued that a steward shouldn’t be giving opinions to the press. Shortly after, Herbert left his steward role, but the 𝓪𝓫𝓾𝓼𝓮 from fans reportedly didn’t stop.

Now, Herbert is addressing the accusations that he and other British pundits are biased toward Lewis Hamilton. “They say, ‘You’re biased to Lewis Hamilton.’ Well, we are British, and Lewis is a Brit!”

he said on the Vision4Sport podcast. He pointed out that Dutch fans naturally support Max, so why shouldn’t British pundits root for their own countryman? “Of course we are going to support a British driver but it’s objective,” Herbert added.

“We are wowed by the Flying Dutchman too.”

He even compared it to a football match: “If England were playing Holland in football, of course I’m going to support England.” Herbert also noted that fellow pundit Martin Brundle still faces similar accusations from Verstappen’s fanbase.

The question remains: where is the line between passionate fandom and crossing into dangerous territory?