article by Andrea La Rovere adapted from Formula 1, the stories
In the mid-eighties Johnny Herbert is the new one “next big thing” of motoring. Young and motivated, Johnny he dominated in Formula 3 and debuted by winning in Formula 3000. This, until the Brands Hatch race, August 1988.
Herbert, after contact with Foitek, he crashes head-on into a low wall and breaks his legs, also risking losing a foot. At that moment the “golden boy” of English racing he already has a contract with Benetton in his pocket for 1989, replacing Boutsen.
While the doctors do not say anything about his possibility of walking againJohnny engages in rehabilitation with a more ambitious purpose: be at the start of the 1989 championship. Johnny this is it, showing up in Rio, Brazil with a nice pair of crutches and a smile on his face. Few believe in that slightly crazy blond, but in the end Herbert is fourth.
It seems like a beautiful fairy tale, but… the physicist presents the bill to Johnny and his performance worsens. Backed by Peter Collins, at the time at Benetton, Herbert would need a team manager who believes in him and gives him time to heal. At Benetton, however, Flavio Briatore is in that role. Briatore doesn’t think twice and takes him out.
Herbert runs two races at Tyrrell in place of Alesi: One time he makes a good impression, the other time he doesn’t qualify. At the end of the year, Johnny decides to change his life and goes racing in Japanaway from the pressure and with the hope – as in the song – of becoming “Big in Japan”.
The plan succeeded, so much so that in ’91 victory came at Le Mans, with the Mazda with the engine Wobble. Donnelly’s serious accident, combined with the fact that Collins is now at Lotus, opens the door for him to return to Formula 1. Johnny runs two races, doesn’t finish them but puts himself in a good light. In ’91 he ran half the season and earned a permanent position for the following year. His partner is Hakkinenrising star of Formula 1.
Herbert is almost always at the same level, but can’t get the same points. He fares better in ’93, so much so that Ron Dennis would like to re-establish the pairing with Hakkinen at McLaren, but the contract cannot be broken.
The opportunity came in ’95, when the possibility arose for Herbert to return to Benetton. Johnny finds Briatore again and an even more uncomfortable situation: the car is competitive but not suited to his driving style, moreover teammate is Michael Schumacher. Herbert almost seems like an intruder in the pits, all the attention is on Michael.
He does what he does best, bringing the car to the end, almost always. Two lucky victories arrive at Silverstone and Monza. With Schumacher and Hill doing nothing but throwing themselves out, at a certain point Herbert found himself third and not even far from the top of the rankings. In the end, he is fourth with two victories and four podiums, not bad.
Briatore, however, irritated at having lost Schumacher, does not confirm it. For Herbert, a long sunset avenue opens up, made up of decent seasons at Sauber and an unexpected addition to Stewart. Always slower than Barrichello, Herbert is still quick to exploit the only opportunity and wins at the Nurburgring. 2000, with Jaguar, is the last, disappointing year.
When Johnny retires, everyone is a little disappointed; he has always been a nice, discreet and reassuring presence, both for the spectators and for his teams and colleagues. Herbert remains in the environment as a commentator, taking advantage of his innate human qualities.
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