Johnny Herbert

Johnny Herbert

Herbert at the 2014 Goodwood Festival of Speed.
Born	John Paul Herbert (1964-06-25) 25 June 1964 (age 52) Brentwood, Essex, England
Formula One World Championship career
Nationality	British
Active years	1989–2000
Teams	Benetton, Tyrrell, Lotus, Ligier, Sauber, Stewart, Jaguar
Entries	165 (161 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 Participating years 1990–1992, 2002–2004, 2007 Teams Mazdaspeed/Oreca, Champion Racing, Audi Sport North America, Team Bentley, Audi Sport UK Team Veloqx, Aston Martin Racing Best finish 1st (1991) Class wins 1 (1991)

John Paul "Johnny" Herbert (born 25 June 1964) is a British racing driver. He raced in Formula One from 1989 to 2000, for 7 different teams, winning three races and placed 4th in the 1995 championship. He also raced sports cars winning the Le Mans 24 Hours in 1991 driving a Mazda 787B. He enjoyed much success in lower-level motor racing.

During the mid-1980s, Herbert was widely regarded as an up-and-coming man of motor racing, comparable to the Scot Jim Clark. Winning the Formula Ford Festival at Brands Hatch in 1985, Herbert caught Eddie Jordan's attention, and together they won the 1987 British Formula 3 title. Herbert suffered career-threatening injuries in 1988, as a then championship hopeful in International Formula 3000 when he was caught up in a major accident at Brands Hatch, sustaining severe ankle and foot injuries after multiple collisions with the barriers. The threat of amputation loomed but it eventually passed after multiple surgeries and months of physiotherapy, though the extent of Herbert's injuries would permanently hinder his mobility, leaving him unable to run and forcing him to change his driving style.

Despite his immobility, Herbert returned to racing at the beginning of 1989 in Formula 1, scoring points on his debut at the Brazilian Grand Prix in Rio de Janeiro driving for the Benetton team, then managed by his long-time mentor and friend Peter Collins. Herbert finished 4th in Brazil, only 10.5 seconds behind the race winning Ferrari of Nigel Mansell and only 1.1 seconds behind the 3rd placed March-Judd of Maurício Gugelmin and only 2.6 seconds behind the 2nd placed McLaren-Honda of then double World Champion Alain Prost. Herbert's team mate, the highly rated Italian Alessandro Nannini, finished in 6th place, 7.7 seconds behind Herbert.