Johnny Herbert facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Johnny Herbert
Herbert in 2016
Born	John Paul Herbert (1964-06-25) 25 June 1964 (age 61) Brentwood, Essex, England
Spouse(s)	Rebecca Cross ​ (m. 1991)​
Children	2
Formula One World Championship career
Nationality	British
Active years	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
24 Hours of Le Mans career
Years	1990–1992, 2001–2004, 2007
Teams	Mazda, Champion, Audi, Bentley, Aston Martin
Best finish	1st (1991)
Class wins	1 (1991)

John Paul Herbert (born on June 25, 1964) is a British former racing driver and TV commentator. He raced in Formula One, which is the highest class of international racing, from 1989 to 2000. During his 12 seasons, Herbert won three Formula One Grands Prix.

He also had great success in endurance racing. This type of racing involves long distances and many hours. Herbert won the famous 24 Hours of Le Mans race in 1991 with the Mazda team. He also won the 12 Hours of Sebring race in 2002 with Audi.

In Formula One, Herbert drove for several teams, including Benetton, Tyrrell, Lotus, Ligier, Sauber, Stewart, and Jaguar. His best season was in 1995 when he finished fourth in the World Championship with Benetton. After he stopped racing, Herbert became a TV commentator for Sky Sports F1 from 2012 until 2022.

Racing Career Highlights

Starting in Racing

Herbert driving for Tyrrell at the 1989 Belgian Grand Prix.

Johnny Herbert began his racing journey in junior categories. In 1985, he won the Formula Ford Festival at Brands Hatch. This win caught the eye of Eddie Jordan, a well-known team owner. Together, they won the 1987 British Formula 3 title.

Herbert also took part in some fun celebrity races. In 1987, he raced in the ESSO MG Metro Turbo Challenge and the Ford Escort Celebrity race.

Overcoming Challenges

In 1988, Herbert faced a serious accident while racing in International Formula 3000. He crashed hard at Brands Hatch, hurting his ankles and feet badly. Doctors even thought he might lose his leg. Luckily, after many surgeries and lots of physical therapy, he recovered. However, his injuries affected how he could move and drive for the rest of his career. He had to change his driving style.

Despite his injuries, Herbert made an amazing comeback to Formula One in 1989. He scored points in his very first race, the 1989 Brazilian Grand Prix, driving for the Benetton team. He finished fourth, which was a fantastic start!

Time with Lotus

Herbert driving for Lotus at the 1994 British Grand Prix. He finished eleventh.

After a short time with Benetton and Tyrrell, Herbert joined the Lotus team in 1990. He stayed with Lotus for several years. In 1992, he scored points again, even with an older car. He often performed well against his teammate, Mika Häkkinen, who later became a World Champion.

His best season with Lotus was 1993, where he finished fourth three times. However, 1994 was a tough year for Lotus because of money problems. Herbert left the team after the 1994 Portuguese Grand Prix.

Le Mans Victory

Herbert was among the drivers who drove this Mazda 787B to victory at the 1991 24 Hours of Le Mans.

While racing in Formula One, Johnny Herbert also competed in endurance races. In 1991, he achieved a huge victory at the 1991 24 Hours of Le Mans race. He drove a Mazda 787B with his teammates Volker Weidler and Bertrand Gachot. This was a historic win for Mazda and a highlight of Herbert's career. He even won an award for helping another driver during a race that year.

First Formula One Wins

Herbert moved to Benetton for 1995 and took his first Formula One victory at the 1995 British Grand Prix.

In late 1994, Herbert moved to the Ligier team and then back to Benetton. For 1995, he became teammate to the famous Michael Schumacher. The car was designed for Schumacher's driving style, which made it tricky for Herbert.

However, Herbert still achieved his first Formula One podium finish with a second place in Spain. Then, he won his first Formula One race at the 1995 British Grand Prix! He followed this with another win in Italy. He finished the 1995 season in fourth place in the championship.

Later Formula One Years

Herbert driving for Stewart at the 1999 Canadian Grand Prix. He brought the car home in fifth.

After Benetton, Herbert raced for the Sauber team from 1996 to 1998, where he earned two more podium finishes. In 1999, he joined the Stewart Grand Prix team. Even though his teammate Rubens Barrichello often out-qualified him, Herbert scored his third and final Grand Prix win at the 1999 European Grand Prix, which was a very wet race.

He stayed with the team when it became Jaguar Racing in 2000. His last Formula One race was in Malaysia, where he had a heavy crash due to a car problem.

Life After Formula One

Sports Car Racing and Other Series

Herbert driving for Audi in the 2004 Petit Le Mans. He came second, partnered with Pierre Kaffer.

After leaving Formula One, Herbert focused on sports car racing. He wanted to win the Le Mans 24 Hours again. He raced in the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) and won several events. In 2004, he won the Le Mans Series championship with Jamie Davies, driving an Audi R8.

He also raced in the Speedcar Series in 2008, winning the championship. In 2009, he made his debut in the British Touring Car Championship, racing a Honda Civic.

TV and Mentoring

Herbert in the Silverstone pit lane for the 2014 British Grand Prix

From 2012 to 2022, Johnny Herbert was a popular commentator for the Sky Sports F1 channel. He shared his racing knowledge and insights during practices, qualifying sessions, and races.

In 2013 and 2014, Herbert became a mentor for a TV show called GT Academy. This show aimed to turn skilled players of the Gran Turismo video games into real racing drivers.

Racing Record Summary

^† As Herbert was a guest driver, he was ineligible for championship points.

Helmet Design

Herbert's racing helmet was mostly red. It had a white line that went from the back, around the sides, and onto the front chin area. There were also black stripes on the lower sides and a black stripe at the back, similar to another driver's helmet design.

In 1999, when he drove for the Stewart team, the black stripes on the lower sides changed to green. A cool design of a drop with the Union Jack (the flag of the United Kingdom) was added to the top of his helmet. In 2000, when he raced for Jaguar, the green parts on his helmet became blue.

Images for kids

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  Herbert driving the Team Dynamics Honda Civic at Silverstone during the 2009 British Touring Car Championship season.

See also

In Spanish: Johnny Herbert para niños