Johnny Herbert says Max Verstappen is only human

That has to be one of the bravest statements Herbert has made in a while, especially during an era where Verstappen is the standout talent of his generation, with fans, drivers, and team principals all agreeing he is currently the best.

Verstappen, despite having a slow car at the start of the 2025 F1 season, managed to stay in contention while fighting Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri in the superior MCL39.

Towards midseason, his RB21 became better, and Verstappen launched an impressive comeback that saw him lose out on the Title to Norris by just two points after his gap to the championship lead was 104 at one point.

But Herbert insists there is always a chance that Verstappen, despite all his talent, cannot compensate for a car's shortcomings.

"There is always a chance that you don't quite fit a new car," the retired F1 driver said. "Max Verstappen is only human. Yes, he's the best on the grid at this current time, but it doesn't always mean he's the fastest on the racetrack.

"That's down to the performance of the car, or if you don't fit the car. Like with Lewis Hamilton last year [2025], he didn't fit his car and lost his speed. There is a chance that new regulations could favor a certain type of driver.

"Lando Norris could benefit from the new car and grow even more as a driver, similar to Max after 2021," Herbert claimed. "There's always a chance of a driver maturing and becoming more complete if a new car suits their style.

"Can I see the new regulations not benefiting Max? Yes, because there is a human element to Formula 1, there are inconsistencies, and the best drivers try to reduce those inconsistencies.

"The likes of Max, Lewis, and Lando will have to adapt this year, and external influences can affect the championship," he maintained.

Verstappen has a new teammate in 2026, in the form of Isack Hadjar, who was promoted to replace Yuki Tsunoda.

The Frenchman will be the Dutchman's third teammate since Sergio Perez was fired at the end of the 2024 F1 season and both Liam Lawson and Tsunoda tried and failed to survive at Red Bull Racing.

Herbert speaks highly of Hadjar; he said: "As we go into 2026, the one person who has really improved since his debut is Isack Hadjar.

"Now, can Hadjar challenge Max Verstappen? There will eventually be someone who can challenge Max at Red Bull," he predicted. "And when there is someone challenging you in your own team, the dynamic can shift.

"If Hadjar can come out of the blocks very strong and give Max a headache, that's a twist. Max will fight harder to keep himself ahead of his teammate. I haven't seen Max pushed since he had Daniel Ricciardo as his teammate, but he's a much stronger and complete Formula 1 driver now. 

Many question how smart it would be for any driver to walk into Verstappen's team, but Herbert believes he had no other choice.

He explained: "Hadjar has a tough opportunity that he can't wait to take. If he waited, another generation of Formula 1 drivers could have taken that second Red Bull seat.

"Hadjar will need to be at his very best and needs to beat his four-time world champion teammate. This could be the first time in a while that Max has to fight his teammate and the likes of Lando Norris.

"There could be a little twist at Red Bull," Herbert mused. (Source: JeffBet)