Despite suffering severe leg injuries in a major Formula 3000 accident at Brands Hatch in 1988, Johnny Herbert made his debut in Formula 1 with Benetton for the 1989 season.
| Nationality | British |
|---|---|
| Born | John Paul Herbert 25 June 1964 Brentwood, Essex, England |
Herbert then joined Lotus in 1990, where the cars were generally less competitive. He also showcased his skills in sports car racing, clinching a victory at the 1991 Le Mans 24 Hours with Mazda’s unique, rotary-engined 787B, alongside Bertrand Gachot and Volker Weidler.
By 1994, financial troubles had escalated at Team Lotus, leading to the team’s receivership after the 1994 Italian Grand Prix, and Herbert’s contract was sold. He returned to Benetton for a full season in 1995.
That year, Herbert was in a position to win when his teammate Michael Schumacher collided with rival Damon Hill at both Silverstone and Monza. However, he soon realised that within Benetton, information predominantly flowed towards Schumacher, and he was let go at the end of the season.
Herbert moved to Sauber in 1996, where he achieved sporadic points and podiums. In 1999, joining the improving Stewart team, he capitalised on variable weather conditions at the 1999 European Grand Prix to secure the team’s first—and his last—win. Over the winter, Stewart transitioned into Jaguar, and Herbert endured a challenging year as the team’s performance waned.
Herbert left Formula 1 at the end of that year and returned to sports car racing, achieving further success with victories at the 2002 Sebring 12 Hours and the 2004 Le Mans Series with Audi. He also participated in Sky’s F1 broadcast coverage.
Johnny Herbert Formula One World Championship career
| F1 Career | 1989–2000 |
|---|---|
| Teams | Benetton, Tyrrell, Lotus, Ligier, Sauber, Stewart, Jaguar |
| Entries | 165 (160 starts) |
| Championships | 0 |
| Wins | 3 |
| Podiums | 7 |
| Career points | 98 |
| Pole positions | 0 |
| Fastest laps | 0 |
| First entry | 1989 Brazilian Grand Prix |
| First win | 1995 British Grand Prix |
| Last win | 1999 European Grand Prix |
| Last entry | 2000 Malaysian Grand Prix |
Sources: Wikipedia.com
