Johnny Herbert feels “Max Verstappen wanted to intimidate Oscar Piastri in Abu Dhabi”. Johnny Herbert reflects on Max Verstappen’s move against Oscar Piastri in Abu Dhabi.

The incident at Yas Marina
“Stupid idiots.” This was how Max Verstappen described the Race Stewards who penalized him with a 10-second penalty in Abu Dhabi for causing a collision with Oscar Piastri at Turn 1, an incident that sent both drivers into a spin. “A world champion’s move,” remarked Piastri over the radio in the heat of the moment, while Verstappen responded, claiming, “What bad luck, I squeezed as much as I could on the curb.”

Johnny Herbert, the former driver who now frequently serves as a Race Steward, has recently been criticized by Verstappen (both Max and Jos) for what they perceive as his stringent judgment towards the four-time world champion in incidents reviewed by the Stewards.

According to Herbert, Max Verstappen’s move against Oscar Piastri in Abu Dhabi was yet another attempt by the Red Bull driver to intimidate a competitor. “The last-second lunge on the inside at Turn 1 was all about intimidation,” Johnny Herbert explained in an interview with *CoinPoker*. “Oscar Piastri showed he is another driver ready to challenge Verstappen and not yield to Max.”

Johnny Herbert believes Max Verstappen’s on-track dominance, often involving what he describes as “bullying tactics” against most of his rivals, is coming to an end, especially in light of this season’s events. “For years, Verstappen has used every tool at his disposal, including intimidation. But this season, things have changed. The discussions with Russell and the incidents with Norris and Piastri have set the stage for more drivers to be ready for wheel-to-wheel battles with Verstappen. That includes Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc, George Russell, Lando Norris, and Oscar Piastri. The latter has already proven he can win Grands Prix, and next year he will be in contention for the title alongside Norris.”