FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has detailed the reasons for Johnny Herbert’s dismissal as F1 steward, highlighting a “conflict of interest”.

At the end of January, the FIA announced that Herbert would not be aꦑn F1 steward for the upcoming 2025 season.

The FIA cited Herbert’s media work, describing the combina𝐆tion of punditry and stewarding as “incompatible”.

While Herbert hasn’t been part of Sky Sports cover🅺age since the end of 2022, the former British F1 driver has of🤪ten been outspoken to digital media outlets.

Herbert was vocal in criticising 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Max Verstappen for his aggressive driving throughout last year, partiꦕcularly in Mexico.

Herbert accused Verstappen of “intimidation” taꩵctics, w꧑ith his comments not going down well with Jos Verstappen.

Speaking to , Ben Sulayem commented o𒐪n Herbert’s sacking.

“Joh🍌nny was a very good commissioner, but then there was a conflict of interest and he knows that,” he said.

“You can’t 🍌be a journalist in a big company and express your point of view and then play the commissioner, who is a referee. You sayꦫ: ‘My best case scenario is that so-and-so wins.’

“And what if that driver you prefer has another driver in first or second place? How do you make your judgement? He understood and he thanked the FIA an🌼d we thanke𒁏d him for what he did.”

Ben Sulayem teases “new blood” 

Following Herbert’s dismissal, Ben Sulayem has teas♌ed that new stewards will be involved moving 🦹forward.

The FIA hꦉas a pool of stewaౠrds who rotate throughout the year.

They use ex-F1 drivers, such as෴ Vitantonio Liuzzi and Derek Warwick, to give their opinions during race weekends.

“We should no♒t be limitedℱ and that is why tomorrow with the stewards we will have new blood,” Ben Sulayem added.

“It will give us a🃏 new selection that is going to sustain the business of motorsport.”

The FIA president also🌸 confirmed there will be multiple race directors throughout the🍰 year.

The identity of the second race director is still unconfirmed, with Rui Marques holding the role for the final three ra🐟ces in 2024 following Niels Wittich's shock exit.