HERBERT: “Penalties in Mexico won’t stop Verstappen’s aggression towards Norris.”

Former Formula 1 driver and now FIA referee Johnny Herbert believes that the 10-second penalties received by Max Verstappen during the Mexican Grand Prix won’t deter him from aggressive behavior against his championship rival, Lando Norris. After Norris received a 5-second penalty for a controversial off-track overtaking incident in Austin, Verstappen was handed two 10-second penalties in Mexico for gaining an advantage by going off the track and forcing another driver off.

A meeting between the FIA and drivers is scheduled to take place during the penultimate race of the season, the Qatar Grand Prix, where it’s possible that rules for the Losail and Abu Dhabi races will be clarified or changed. However, Herbert, who is also an FIA referee at the Mexican GP, believes Verstappen will continue to push the limits of the rules until then.

Speaking to Action Network, Herbert stated, “These penalties in Mexico won’t prevent Max Verstappen from pushing Lando Norris off the track in the future.” He added, “Verstappen’s entire intention was to ensure Ferrari doesn’t achieve a 1-2 finish. I understand why he did it, but I don’t think it’s right, and I doubt many others do either.”

“‘Fair racing’ is something Norris has mentioned before, and he wants to be part of that kind of battle. I don’t see Verstappen changing his driving style because his main goal is to prevent Norris from closing the gap in the drivers’ championship. It seems we still have many interesting races ahead.” McLaren CEO Zak Brown believes the officiating decisions in Mexico were not strict enough, while Red Bull team principal Christian Horner thought the penalties were too harsh.

Speaking on the matter, Herbert stated, “We acted in accordance with the rules in our decisions, and the teams approved our choices. The 20-second penalty given to Verstappen was the right call. His driving style was on the edge, and sometimes even excessive.”

“Verstappen’s driving was aggressive, especially when he forced a fellow driver off the track. This is something that I, current drivers, former drivers, and stewards definitely do not endorse.”

“I’m a big fan of Verstappen, but the way he drove in Mexico really frustrates me. He doesn’t need to drive like that; he’s talented enough in the cockpit and at this stage of the championship, he just needs to stay out of trouble and drive as well as he can.”

“When Verstappen tries to gain an advantage by pushing another driver off the track while attempting to help Ferrari secure a 1-2 finish, he needs to realize that he doesn’t have to do that. It’s enough for him to choose the cleanest way to win.”