Johnny Herbert blasts drivers ‘abusing’ F1 rules and wants change

Johnny Herbert was unimpressed by drivers who “abused” F1’s rules on the opening lap of the Mexico City Grand Prix.

The first lap of last Sunday’s race proved a major topic of debate after Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen took to the grass and cut the opening complex of corners.

Leclerc and Verstappen rejoined the track in first and third but yielded positions to McLaren’s Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton respectively, with neither facing punishment for their actions at Turn 1.

In contrast, seven-time world champion Hamilton was hit with a 10-second time penalty for leaving the track and gaining an advantage during a Lap 7 duel with Verstappen at Turn 4.

Herbert has criticised drivers for exploiting the fact the FIA stewards tend to “turn a blind eye” to opening lap incidents.

“The biggest problem for me is that anything that tends to happen on the first corner, the first lap, they tend to turn a blind eye because the tyres are cold and they're not quite up to speed and if something happens, they won't apply a penalty,” Herbert told AdventureGamers.

“I don't agree with it. They're the very best in the world and as we saw in Mexico, did they all then take the mickey with that first lap? Probably yes, because they all could get away with it.

“When Max tried to go around the outside and was sort of running out of room, he got on the track without losing anything. Then we saw a Charles cut across and he didn't lose anything, he gained. He was level with Lewis, but he ended up being in front of Max. So he was second and he didn't get a penalty for it.

“If Lewis had just slowed up and let Max get right off his backside, I don't think he would have got a penalty. People were saying the 10 second penalty was too harsh. But ten second penalties should be across the board whenever it may be.

“Is that harsh in some circumstances? Yes. Was it harsh on Lewis? Yes. But you can’t say, ‘We’ll just give him a five second.’ No, you can't do that.

“Drivers know that there is potentially going to be a penalty, but you have a look in your mirrors, you know you have come out with a gap which wasn't there when he went into that turn.”

Herbert wants rid of first lap ‘free for all’

Herbert wants to see the rules tightened up to prevent drivers abusing the rules on the opening lap of races without facing repercussions.

“That's the difference with the first lap. It's generally seen that we won't do anything on the first lap because it's difficult,” he added.

“My problem is, and as I read what happened going into turn one, they all abused it, knowing there's not going to be any repercussion. They all know the first lap is almost a free for all.”

“I don't think it should be allowed to be a free for all because it's part of the race. It's part of the weekend. We're not talking about the Formula Ford Festival.

“We're talking about the very best Formula 1 drivers in the world. You have to judge it when your tyres are a little bit cold, and you're jockeying for position, when you're going into turn one through three or four whenever it maybe, if you make an error, then there's a chance that you're going to get a penalty because you've gained an advantage.

“There were some advantages that were gained but they were not deemed to be advantages because they look at things very differently on the first lap. I don't agree. I think it's wrong.

“They're the very best, they have the best judgement. If it's a wet track, they're able to deal with that okay. But because it's a cooler tyre going on the first lap, come on!

“That's just part of racing. You've just got to be a bit smart.”