Johnny Herbert has been dropped as a Formula 1 driver steward by the FIA due to his role as a media pundit being deemed "incompatible" with the steward position.

Herbert, a three-time grand prix winner with 160 F1 starts and seven podiums to his name, served as both an FIA driver steward and a Sky Sports pundit. The controversy arose after his comments about Max Verstappen's driving at the 2022 Mexico City Grand Prix, where he was part of the steward panel that issued two 10-second penalties to the Red Bull driver.

After the incident, Herbert publicly stated that he didn't believe the punishments would deter Verstappen from similar actions in the future. This led to criticism from Jos Verstappen, Max's father, who argued that stewards should not speak to the press about their decisions.

The FIA spokesperson confirmed Herbert's removal, stating that while his experience and expertise were valuable, his dual roles as steward and media pundit were ultimately incompatible. This decision follows a similar case involving Tim Mayer, a senior steward and organizer of FIA world championships in the United States, who was also dismissed due to alleged conflicts of interest.

While Herbert had previously indicated he might return as a steward for the Australian Grand Prix, the FIA's decision has now ruled out that possibility.

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