When Johnny Herbert first raced in a Formula One in America, he remembers there were more spectators watching ostrich racing next to the track in Phoenix, Arizona, than the actual grand prix itself.
That was more than a quarter of a century ago and long before the hit Netflix series Drive to Survive and the takeover of the sport by Liberty Media, the US conglomerate.
America’s love affair with F1 has blown hot and cold over the years but today the relationship is flourishing. Three races are scheduled there this season, starting with Miami this weekend, followed by Austin and Las Vegas.
“Cracking America is difficult and the holy grail for sport. Bernie Ecclestone tried for decades, but wasn’t able wasn’t able to do it,” says Herbert.
“Drive to Survive has definitely opened up the eyes of the American fans. It has also been helped by the mentality of Liberty. They have added elements which have actually made the sport more engaging.
“With the reintroduction of ground effect cars racing is better for the fan and the audience. A new generation is being drawn into the excitement.”
As anticipated, Red Bull have reaffirmed their dominance by winning the first four races, while the sluggish performance of Mercedes and their continuing travails has prompted renewed speculation about Lewis Hamilton’s future in the sport. Herbert thinks that if he does jump ship in his quest for an 8th world title, then Ferrari has to be his destination.
“He is not going to go to Red Bull, that isn’t going to happen,” Herbert explains. “He is not going to go to Aston. I know Ferrari have not quite been able to achieve what we all expect Ferrari to achieve. But they certainly have the potential to be able to do it.
“Ferrari makes the most sense. If it happened, then the one who would suffer would be Carlos [Sainz] as Charlie [Leclerc] is already concreted in. Hamilton and Sainz at Ferrari would be a wonderful pairing to be honest.
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Red Bull driver Sergio Perez of Mexico celebrates on the podium after winning the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku on Sunday, April 30, 2023. AP -
Red Bull's Sergio Perez celebrates his win with second-placed Max Verstappen, also of Red Bull. AFP -
Sergio Perez celebrates his victory in Azerbaijan. Getty -
Race winner Sergio Perez of Mexico celebrates with teammates. Getty -
Red Bull's Sergio Perez celebrates after winning the race. Reuters -
Red Bull's Mexican driver Sergio Perez. AFP -
Red Bull's Sergio Perez on his way to victory. Reuters -
Red Bull's Sergio Perez, right, alongside Charles Leclerc of Ferrari. EPA -
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen. AP -
Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso at the Baku City Circuit. AFP -
Ferrari's Charles Leclerc leads the pack at the start of the race. EPA -
Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton in Baku. AP
“The young and the experienced, fighting it out in a Ferrari that hopefully with the ability that Lewis has to draw in the right people to be able to produce a car to be able to take it to Red Bull.
“I think he would go as long as he has the motivation to continue driving. I don’t see why he would not have the motivation.
“Lewis has still got what it takes to win races. He is not comfortable with the car, but that happens. Every single driver I know has moments when they feel uncomfortable with their car and complain. It is unfair to criticise Lewis for that.
“The motivation for the 8th [title] is still there. But it has to have the right ingredients — like he did when he went from McLaren to Mercedes when a number of people, including myself, thought he was mad to do it. Mercedes at that point were nowhere.
“Lewis may not be at his peak, he still has incredible ability. He needs something that can suddenly reignite that fire in him which I think is slightly turned down at the moment because it is not quite working out in the way that he wanted.”
While some think Red Bull’s superiority makes for a dull season, Herbert thinks it is up to other teams to play catch up.
“It’s the natural cycle of sport. I remember when we had that long dominance with Mercedes. Christian [Horner] and Red Bull were moaning and saying something has got to be done about it and it was not good for the sport. But it was down to everybody else to catch up. It took a long time before that happened. Now it is starting to get closer.
“Recently, we have only been talking about three teams, but that is now four with Aston who themselves are a great story. That is a nice switch around.”
Herbert drove in F1 for 11 years, winning three times, including memorably the British Grand Prix in 1995. He raced against some of the all times great such as Michael Schumacher.
“We didn’t always see eye to eye. He was ruthless,” says Herbert of the German who suffered serious injuries in a skiing accident 10 years ago, and has not been seen in public since.
“But that is why he achieved what he achieved. He had a way that he wanted to go about his racing. I still remember for what for me was his standout performance in the Ferrari in the wet in Barcelona in 1996.
“It was his first victory for Ferrari. It was a stunning drive in torrential rain and why he was thereafter called the ‘Regenmesiter’ the Rainmaster. It was an unbelievable drive.”
There have been repercussions too for Mick Schumacher, his son.
“It is very sad for Mick,” Herbert continues. “It can’t be easy for Mick, because of what his Dad achieved. There have been a lot of people who have helped Mick over the years but I think it is a situation that he would have loved his father to be there for him. But he has dealt with the situation brilliantly.
“There was so much media attention just because of who he was and is. Then the expectations of what his Dad did and trying to live up to them. He was under a hell of a lot of pressure and did it get the better of him? Maybe.”
Asked if the season is now too long, Herbert does wonder. In his day he drove in up to 18 races a year. But added to that were 30 days testing. However he accepts that was mainly in Europe and that the current globe trotting season must take its toll.
“The time zones are huge and it is the time zones I think that get to people. The exhaustion kicks in for people. My travelling was way less. Physically and mentally it is was probably easier because I didn’t have the huge time zones to deal with. It's not just drivers though. It is the whole team. The whole shebang.
“I think we are getting to the point where it would be a stretch to go beyond 22, mainly because of the travel and the time zones. You have got to take into consideration the whole team, the travel which is damn exhausting mentally.”
And finally what would he change about F1 as it currently stands? “I would ban is radio communication on a Sunday race,” he says without hesitation.,
“The strategy software that they have now is fantastic. But I feel I want the driver to sometimes make the calls in the cockpit. Like Ayrton did, Nigel, myself and Damon from that era.
“We had a discussion we had a plan, you have it on your board, but there were occasions when you had to think for yourself. Now it is purely done pretty much on what the software says.
“I want a bit of the old days back. I don’t want it to be about drivers being told you’re going too fast, your tyres are a bit hot. We had to feel that and react. At the moment they only react because of what they are told on the radio which comes from what the software is telling the team.
“The teams could do whatever they wanted on a Friday, do what they want on a Saturday. On the Sunday the teams should just tell the drivers, ’Here’s the car, we ‘ve done everything we possibly can, now it’s over to you and see you at the end of the race.'”
