Returning from Rétromobile on the Eurostar, I chatted with an old colleague whose racing knowledge and judgement I respect. He believes Johnny Herbert would surely have been World Champion if he hadnʼt been so dreadfully injured before he even got to Formula One.
As a kid Johnny was British Junior Kart Champion, and by 1987 heʼd won the British F3 title. For 1988 he moved up into the highly competitive European Formula 3000. He won his first F3000 race from pole, and was leading his second when he was punted off by wild Swiss driver Gregor Foitek. Heʼd already had Formula One tests for Benetton, who took out an option on him, and for Lotus, who joined the queue when he tested quicker in the same car than reigning World Champion Nelson Piquet. Pundits spoke of him as the next Jim Clark.
Then came Brands Hatch. Johnny was well in the lead when Foitek collided with another car at Paddock Bend and the race had to be stopped. At the restart Johnny was slow away; Foitek wasnʼt. The two came over the crest and down Pilgrimʼs Drop at 150mph and Foitek, with two wheels on the grass, got alongside. His right front wheel hit Johnnyʼs left rear, and both cars flew out of control. Johnnyʼs car struck the barrier, bounced across the road with its nose now torn off and Johnnyʼs legs hanging out the front, and hit the barrier on the other side. The ensuing pile-up involved 10 more cars.
Many years later Johnny described it to me: “I came round in hospital in Sidcup and heard them saying, ʻHe wonʼt walk again. He may have to lose the left one.ʼ That was the foot that was hanging off, but they sewed it back on. The right one was crushed, some of the toes gone. Both ankles smashed, legs badly bashed, too. One of my boots was missing. It made it back to the pits in another carʼs air intake.”
Johnny got himself out of hospital much sooner than he should have done and began a relentless regime to get fit again: “It was hard and painful stuff. I worked at it and worked at it. Then Iʼd have a bad day, get depressed, then Iʼd get myself motivated again. It wasnʼt only my legs and feet, it was getting my head to heal.”
He was keen that no-one in F1 should know just how badly he had been hurt. Benettonʼs Peter Collins knew, but never lost faith in him: “When I was still in a wheelchair, he called to say Benetton was taking up the option.”
The fi
