Herbert Slams Jaguar!

[Jay]

What do you guys make of this?

From Planet-F1:

Johnny Herbert has launched a surprising attack on his former team, accusing them of wrecking his career.
Herbert is still looking for a 2001 ChampCar drive, and the Englishman believes that his chances have been ruined by the injuries he sustained during his accident at the Malaysian GP.
Johnny was bitterly disappointed to end his F1 career on such a low note, but consoled himself with the thought that he would still be able to race in the States. A fractured knee has prevented him from driving however, and he is now blaming Jaguar for the accident that has put a hold on his career.
"I had so wanted to end my F1 career on a high note and then head for the States to clinch myself a place in ChampCars," he told the Daily Mail.
"It was very disappointing to finish flying off the track through no fault of my own but because of a stress failure that should never have happened.
"And it wasn't the first time. I had a wing fall off at 190mph during testing before the season began.
"If you make mistakes as a driver then you can accept it, but when you get into trouble because someone else has got it wrong, it is
very hard to take.
"It couldn't have come at a worse time and I was pretty annoyed. I didn't do anything wrong and yet I was the guy who ended up on crutches.
"I could hardly have gone looking for a job in that condition. It wouldn't have made much of an impression."
Although he has not had much luck so far, Johnny has not entirely ruled out the possibility of a ChampCar drive, and is as enthusiastic as ever.
"There is still a chance for me and I have not given much thought to any alternative form of racing because I am so eager and excited about competing in the ChampCar championship," he concluded.

[gomick]

give it up johnny

[botsquad]

stuff happens.

johnny will hook up with someone, no doubt.

cart owners don't spook.

[Orange]

Sounds like 2000 is a vintage year for sour grapes....

[MichaelC]

People drown and people surf. Cars break. Jaguar didn't deliberately give him a weak part so he would crash and not get a drive.

Johnny's just miffed because for all the rumours, he still hasn't found something to fill his time next year. My call is Team Dynamics in the BTCC

[robert2000]

Speaking of Dynamics, I'm pleased that Matt Neal got himself a works drive. Its about time. (Not strictly an F1 posting but never mind)

[massifheed]

Don't beleive this, it came from the Daily Mail, not the most accurate of papers. Johnny isn't a vindictive type of bloke, he certainly wouldn't say those kind of things to a tabloid. Some people are just fed up with waiting to see what is happening next year, so they will make up any kind of ****. This has been discussed a great deal on Johnny's website and the general opinion (from some people that have close links with Johnny) is that the story is rubbish, and certainly didn't come from any official channels.

[Gt_R]

If Herbert do say such things...he's ungrateful nut.

It is Jaguar who took him in for 2000, when there are a host of better drivers around. Herberts performance for the past 2, 3 seasons has been very very poor, and especially this year, besides the few lucky breaks last year like the win in Nurbugring...jus pure luck.

Without Stewart and later Jaguar, he would not have a Formula one career in the past 3 years....and he is slamming them in return for the team not having shown him the door earlier???!!!

Com'on Herbert, face the fact that u are not THE GOLDEN BOY anymore, no matter how nice a bloke u r...the truth is...its the skills and results that matters....!

[massifheed]

Gt_R I think that you will find that he has had a host of underperforming cars, the fault doesn't lie with Herbert. The European GP win was a fine tactical desicion on Johnny's part (tyre choice). He finished the race first, that is never luck. It is clear that Johnny has never had preferential treatment at any team, especially with the likes of Alesi and Schumacher as team mates. Did you realise that when Johnny was Schumi's team mate he was matching him and beating him on pace, when Micheal saw this he refused to share car information with Johnny. Schumacher also demanded that the spare car be set up how he wanted it and not Herbert, and that it not be changed at all. Schumi's not very sporting when he is under pressure is he? The same treatment was plain to see at Jaguar as well. Most people clearly see this, I don't know why you can't. Give Johnny a decent car and he will prove himself. It's that simple.

[Gt_R]

Quote: "Did you realise that when Johnny was Schumi's team mate he was matching him and beating him on pace, when Micheal saw this he refused to share car information with Johnny. Schumacher also demanded that the spare car be set up how he wanted it and not Herbert, and that it not be changed at all.Schumi's not very sporting when he is under pressure is he? "

Oh..com'on, surely we do not have to drag Schuey into this again! Not too long ago, there was a loooong friendly argument about this already, so lets not debate abt this.

But back to your point, lets look at this year alone first. Eddie Irvine is his teammate. The cars they drove are practically the same, except for the setups. However, Eddie Irvine managed to put in far stronger positions than him in qualifyings and races. With some notable top 8 qualifyings and top 10 finishes. Obviously, Irvine is never the best drivers around, but he is no doubt better than Herbert this year.

Last year, in the Stewart. Who did better? Rubens or Herbert? Besides the lucky win (its lucky putting in mind all the lead drivers retired) and a couple of strong performance after that race, Rubens have been the faster and quicker of the 2 the whole season. In fact, Stewart was considering terminating Herbert's services after 1999 before he scored his win.

Understand that there are many good drivers in F1, and a few exceptional drivers. Herbert in the crop of F1 drivers is not exceptional, jus plain good together with the rest of the field.

To win a race, skills alone doesnt account for everything. Luck too play a minor role, his equipment, more.

Of course, this only applies to his current state, after that really bad accident. I'm sure he would be a lot more than he is today should he not have that accident. but its a fact that Herbert have long overdue stay in F1, sort of like Damon Hill, and while he could win alot more in other form of racings, in F1 he is no longer that great anymore.

And with only a spare car in most team, of course you give it to the better driver (often gauged by his higher pay) first before you give it to ur 2nd best.

=)

[massifheed]

I wasn't about when you had the "loooong" Schuey debate, so I can't comment on that. However, you seem to be contradicting yourself on what it takes to win a race. You said originally that Herberts race win was "pure luck" but later on said, "To win a race, skills alone doesnt account for everything. Luck too play a minor role, his equipment, more." So suddenly luck is playing a minor role, I don't get that.
I don't agree with you on Johnny having the same car at Jaguar. It is much the same this year with Burti. They put all the time and effort into Irvine's car because they knew at the time that he would be staying long term, while Johny would be out of F1 by the end of the year. They want another Micheal Schumacher with Irvine, they want another Ferrari with Jaguar. They admitted as much in press conferences, they said that they wanted to have a team that was to the British what Ferrari is to the Italians. Irvine is there to develop the team and the car. Johnny was there to fill the second seat. Burti is there for exactly the same reason this year. Only he is much cheaper than Johnny and if he screws up it doesn't matter because it's only really Irvine that they are concerned about. I have nothing against Jaguar, the way they are going about it makes a lot of sense. But you have to realise that Johnny was never going to get the same treatment because Jaguar weren't investing the same into him.

Two other things that you said:
1. "Without Stewart and later Jaguar, he would not have a Formula one career in the past 3 years....and he is slamming them in return for the team not having shown him the door earlier???!!!"
Well make of that what you will, but if Johnny didn't drive for Stewart or Jaguar he would have driven for someone else. And as I said before, he didn't say those things.

2. "Com'on Herbert, face the fact that u are not THE GOLDEN BOY anymore, no matter how nice a bloke u r...the truth is...its the skills and results that matters....!"
If you check out his results in decent (and sometimes terrible) cars I think you will find that they speak for themselves. How many drivers can say that they have won 3 GP's? Indeed, a lot of the current F1 crowd are still trying to record their first win or even podium!

I could go on about this for ages (I already have). But I guess that we will have to agree to disagree. If you really want to see the kind of **** the guy has put up with then visit his website and read his biography, but don't call him a "nut" and slag him off because of a made up newspaper article, he deserves more than that.

[Gt_R]

Woah Massifheed, cool it. i'd quote frm my own first msg.
"If Herbert do say such things...he's ungrateful nut." Put simply, i said IF he said that, that is what i would have said. So if the report is false and made up, i'd kindly take back my words, and what i said would not apply to him being ungrateful blah blah blah. Yah?

And it is a fact that "the golden boy" in the past is no longer in demand anymore, and if Herbert had not driven for Jaguar come 2000, he would not be driving in any other team, unless its one of the tail enders.

And true, he has 3 GP wins under his belt.
But the first two GP wins were because his strongest rivals have "decided" to take themselves out while leading, and his 3rd GP win was also due to the retirements of the leaders. Did he have any win in which he conquers his rivals?

And its not really a slag off. Its a fact that he is a good driver who has a decent result. But performance is not that excellent is it?

[racer10]

WHY CAN'T WE ALL JUST GET ALONG?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

[Valve Bounce]

Well I, for one, didn't think that Eddie got that good a car last year either!!