Johnny Herbert

Biography

Beginnings in promotion

After a traditional course in Karting where he becomes champion of Great Britain Junior 100 cm ³ in 1979 then champion of Great Britain Senior 135 cm ³ in 1982, Johnny Herbert begins in automobile sport as of 1983 and affirms himself quickly like one of the greatest hopes of the British automobile sport.

In 1984, on a Sparton-Ford of Formula Ford 1600, it signs 1 pole position, 1 victory and 4 podiums in the BP championships (8th with 19 points) and Dunlop (6th with 24 points) of Formula Ford British in which it is committed. In 1985, on Quest, it signs 4 pole positions, 4 better turns and 12 podiums in British championships of Formula Ford 1600 (ESSO, RAC and EFDA Euroserie). It takes down especially an important victory with Formulated Ford Festival of Brands Hatch which enables him to engage in Formula Ford 2000 and Formule 3 in 1986.

In 1986, on his Quest, Herbert carries out like better performance only one 4th place in FF 2000 and (at the wheel of Ralt) only 15th championship of F3 with 8 points is classified. However it succeeds in finding a wheel within the Eddie Jordan Racing for the following season of Formula 3. In 1987, it controls Jordan Reynard-VW and, by registering a total of 79 points, becomes British champion of the discipline in front of Bertrand Gachot and Martin Donnelly with 5 pole positions, 5 better turns in race, 5 victories and 10 podiums. This same year, it carries out its first turns of wheel Formulates 1 of them by carrying out convincing deprived tests with Imola on behalf of the stable Benetton where it makes good match with the pilot leader and Italian hope Alessandro Nannini which already disputed 47 Grand Prix.

Formula 3000 and the drama of 1988

In 1988, the stable Eddie Jordan Racing tries the experiment in Formule 3000 with Johnny in its bags: first race and first victory with Jerez in Spain with Jordan Reynard 88D- Cosworth DFV but good fortune leave Johnny as of the second handle of the championship with Vallelunga where it is wounded at the time of an accident also implying Gregor Foitek. It must then make the dead end on the race of Pau, but as of the following race, in Silverstone, it finishes seventh. Then, arrives the sleeve of Monza, one of the most beautiful races of the whole of the career of Herbert according to the magazine Autocourse Annual: “the star uncontested of the weekend was Herbert, who succeeds in drawing the attention of the whole of the tifosis. Obstructed following the interruption of the race after the crash landing of Giroix, then trained in the fray of the cars to the first baffle, Johnny made today what will remain its more beautiful race of the year to go to seek a third place under the flag with checkerworks. Its control was exceptional, Camel-Reynard howled under the pressure of its right foot on the accelerator as will be able to confirm it the ears of the spectators of the weekend. ” . This June 26th, Herbert signs the best turn in race and is classified 3rd test.

In August 1988, the stable Lotus requests it for tests of tires with Monza where it makes good figure at the side of the world champion Nelson Piquet. But, once again, the bad luck continues it. August 21st, at the time of the race of Brands Hatch, it is implied in a dantesque crash landing with many cars, one of the most important accidents at the time of a competition of F3000. The season of Herbert finishes this day there, its serious wounds with the lower extremities preventing it from planning to still go up in a cockpit in 1988. It is classified 8th international championship with 13 points while having disputed only seven races. For many amateurs of automobile sport Herbert seems lost for the high level automobile sport. Herbert will declare: I remember to extended being, in intensive care, the doctors around me discussing on the continuation of the care to lavish to me. I had not understood yet that they all were convinced that my career of racing driver was from now on behind me…

Transitory beginning Formulates 1 of them

However, a few months later, it is present at the opening of the Championnat of the world of Formula 1 1989 with the Brésil. Herbert will indicate that if its body were broken, its will remained intact: “Much of press articles was published following my accident, and the general opinion was that my career of pilot was from now on behind me. But, lengthened as I was, without anything to do it, I could not accept that. I started my rehabilitation as early as possible and I worked as hard as I could it. I was to control again, across the suffering and the efforts. The doctors were pessimistic, to hear them, I still had some for a year supplements before leaving my bed. I had my accident at the end of August, and I was in the bucket of Benetton de Formule 1 in December. The moral fiber in my capacity to work to recover my faculties enabled me to overcome my traumatisms. ”

In spite of uncertainties around the physical status of Herbert, the sport director of Benetton Peter Collins made a point of respecting the contract signed with the British pilot right before his accident. Incompetent to go normally, obliged to move on a small bicycle and to be carried by its mechanics to enter his B188-Cosworth, amazed Herbert observers by finishing its very first GP in remarkable a fourth place, better than Prost nine years earlier, as well as Alesi three months later. The continuation is more difficult. It misses its qualifications with three recoveries at the time of the GP by Marine Saint, Monaco and Mexico and, if it finishes his races, it is only in 11th, 14th and 15th position. It is seized again with the GP of the United States where, in spite of a calamitous qualification in 25e position on the grid, it finishes the race with a méritoire 5th place final. Caught up with by the after-effects of his terrible accident (a nerve wedged on the level of ankle deprives it of the force necessary to press on the pedals), Herbert proves increasingly inapt for the piloting of F1.

He touches the bottom with the GP of Canada where it misses his qualification. The disgrace of its guard Peter Collins is fatal for him since one of the first decisions of Flavio Briatore, the new sport director of Benetton, is to dismiss it during the summer to replace it by Emanuele Pirro. Herbert punctually finds a wheel at the end of the year at Tyrrell to replace Jean Alesi, when this last is retained by the championship of Formule 3000. At the wheel of the 018, it is qualified in 16th position of the GP of Belgium where it gives up on head with tail and fails in qualification the GP of Portugal. Herbert, in 6 departures, registered 5 points and finishes 14th championship pilots. Herbert understands that its future is not any more Formulates 1 of them share in Japan to dispute the 1 000 km of Fuji at the wheel of Takefuji- Porsche 962C and are classified 6th test. He decides whereas, if he does not obtain a contract in F1, he continues his career in Japan.

Exile in Japan

Without wheel of holder for the Championship of the world of Formula 1 1990, Herbert is exiled with the Japan and chooses to always combine a contract of pilot-tester at Lotus with two programmes of race in the series Prototype All Japan Sports Championship (on Takefuji-Porsche 962C) and Formula Japanese within the Italiya stable which engages of the Reynard 90D- Mugen. In F3000 Japanese woman, it is constrained with the abandonment with 6 recoveries and is classified only 18th championship with 3 thin points while in Endurance it is classified 4th test of the Fuji Mount.

Johnny makes its return in F1 in all end of season when it is engaged for the GP of Japan and Australia at Lotus (where Peter Collins is the new sport director) to replace Martin Donnelly seriously wounded during the tests of GP of Spain (and which will not lead any more in F1). In lack of rolling, Herbert qualifies himself in medium of grid (14th then 18th) while its Lotus 102 - Lamborghini the constrained one by twice with the abandonment (driving break-in then breakdown of clutch).

Return in F1 and victory in Mans

In 1991, Herbert continues his career in Japan, from now on within the stable Suntory West which engages of Ralt RT23-Mugen. Herbert takes down one 2nd place at the time of the test disputed with Mine but 5 abandonments do not allow him to finish in the 10th place of the championship of Formulated Japanese.

Thanks to David Kennedy, person in charge of the program “Mans-Mazda”, which made the sustained pressure near its leaders to maintain Johnny in the list of its pilots, it thus sees himself offering the right to lead the revolutionist Mazda 787B to Rotary engine. Herbert and Gachot take down one 4th place with the Fuji Mount, then Herbert repeats, again in Fuji, but at the sides of Maurizio Sandro-Salted. It takes part then in the 24 Hours of Mans and, with Volker Weidler and Bertrand Gachot, it leads Mazda to the victory, which constitutes the first victory of a Japanese car, and the first victory of a rotating impeller motorization in the great classic mancelle one. Perclu of cramps after having ensured the last relay, Herbert is absent from ceremony of the victory.

Herbert continues in parallel his career in F1 within the Lotus stable, but only in a specific way because the desilvered stable, gives the priority to the paying pilots such Julian Bailey or Michael Bartels at the sides of the Finnish beginner Mika Häkkinen. For proof of its pugnacity, it succeeds in qualifying its poor car (Lotus 102B- Judd) 7 times out of 8 while Bailey that point reached only once and Bartels never. Herbert obtains for better result one 7th place at the time of the Grand Prix of Belgium and is constrained with the abandonment with three recoveries, on rupture of V8 Judd.

Holder in F1 at Lotus

Herbert must await the season 1992 to finally be able to carry out a complete season Formulates 1 of them, always at Lotus. He then makes good match with the future world champion Mika Häkkinen. The two pilots show the example of a perfect collaboration as well at the wheel of their single-seater as in the bed where they spend their time being made jokes of schoolkids. This good agreement contributed certainly to the good performances of Lotus throughout the season 1992. Herbert remains two additional seasons at Lotus. In 1993, it carries out a race of anthology under a capricious weather with Donington: it changes only once tires and keeps its slicks under a beating rain, whereas Prost passes 7 times by the stands. Ron Refusals, manager of McLaren then proposes in Lotus to sponge their debts against the release of Herbert but he will see himself opposing a categorical refusal.

Holder in F1 at Benetton

Running 1994, after several blows of glare (unfortunately ever rewarded), it is recalled by Flavio Briatore. After a transit of a race in the French stable Ligier (held by Briatore), it disputes the two last tests of the season on behalf of the Benetton stable. These measuring rods precede its complete engagement in 1995 at the sides of Michael Schumacher which claims it like fellow-member. But season 1995 of Herbert so idyllic is only envisaged. It gains certainly its first two victories in GP, but is especially made dominate by Schumacher. In the space of a few months, that which still passed during 1994 for a promising pilot sees his tarnished reputation.

End of a career in F1 at Sauber and Stewart

From 1996, Herbert is engaged by the Swiss stable Sauber where it remains during three seasons, with contrasted services, often dominated which it is by his team-members (Frentzen in 1996 and Alesi in 1998). In season 1999, it signs at Stewart Grand Prix, where it has evil to take its marks at the beginning of season vis-a-vis its team-member Rubens Barrichello who knows already the single-seater. Whereas some want to push it with the retirement, he knows a start of pride at the end of the season and is essential on GP of Europe disputed to the Nürburgring. This victory, the first of the stable Stewart Grand Prix Formulates 1 of them is worth to him to preserve its place the following year in F1 at Jaguar Racing (property of Ford) built starting from the Stewart structure, but with again of the disappointing performances.

Return in Endurance

Without wheel of holder for 2001, Herbert carries out however appearances as a pilot tester for Arrows, before leaving F1 to concentrate on the tests of Endurance. Integrated into the powerful Audi factory, it gains in particular the 12 hours of Sebring in 2002.

In 2005, it makes its return Formulates of them 1 within the team Jordan Grand Prix (which takes beginning 2006 the name of Midland F1) in the capacity as communications director. But at the end of September 2006, the repurchase of Midland F1 by Spyker causes its departure.

Results in championship of the world of Formula 1

disputed Grands Prix: 161
Débuts Formulates 1 of them: GP of Brazil, Jacarepagua 1989
Better qualification: 4th
Victories: 3 (Silverstone 1995, Monza 1995, Nurburgring 1999)
Podiums: 7
Classified in the points: 29 times (3 victories, 1 second place, 3 third places, 11 fourth places, 6 fifth places, 5 sixth places)
marked Points: 98
Not-Qualifications: 3
First marked points: GP of Brazil, Jacarepagua 1989 (4th, 3 points)
First podium: GP of Spain, Barcelona 1995 (3rd)
First victory: GP of Great Britain, Silverstone 1995
Grands Prix disputed before the first victory: 71

Career except Formula 1

1979: Karting: Champion of Great Britain Junior 100 cm ³
1982: Karting: Champion of Great Britain Senior 135 cm ³
1983: Championship of Great Britain of Formula Ford 1600.
1984: Championship of Great Britain de Formule Ford 1600.
1985: Winner of the Formula Ford Festival to Brands Hatch.
1986: 15th of the Championship of Great Britain de Formule 3.
1987: Formulate 3: Winner of the Championship of Great Britain de Formule 3 (5 victories), 3rd of the championship of Europe Formulates 3, 3rd GP of Monaco of Formule 3.
1987: Test pilot Benetton - Ford.
1988: F3000: 8th from the international championship (9 points), 1 victory (Sherry)
1991: Japanese F3000: 9th of the championship of Japan (Better result: 2nd in Mine).
1991: Winner of the 24 Hours of Mans on Mazda 787, with Volker Weidler and Bertrand Gachot.
1992: Championship of the world of Sport scars: 9th of the championship (Better result: 2nd in Silverstone).
2001: Test pilot in F1 Arrows - Asiatech.
2001: Championship ALMS: 6th of the Championship on Audi.
2002: Winner of the 12 hours of Sebring on Audi.

External bond

Official site of Johnny Herbert

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