Verstappen criticises 'unacceptable' COTA surface amid concerns over injury
Max Verstappen revealed concerns over the state of his spine as he unleashed a scathing criticism of the "out of control" bumpy track surface at Circuit of The Americas.
Key points
- Max Verstappen called the bumpy surface at Circuit of The Americas 'unacceptable' and said it is 'out of control'.
- Verstappen said medical checks showed the bottom of his spine 'doesn't look that great'.
- Lando Norris said he takes headache tablets before driving at bumpy tracks and that COTA would not meet current rules for a new circuit.
Max Verstappen has strongly criticised the bumpy track surface at Circuit of The Americas ahead of Sunday's United States Grand Prix in Austin. Speaking to the media on Thursday, the Red Bull driver said the bumps are 'unacceptable' and 'out of control', and raised concerns about damage to his spine.
Verstappen, who has won the last two races, said he was not looking forward to the surface 'for your spine' and that the issue has been mentioned for years. He said it will be difficult to find the right compromises around the track.
Verstappen calls for track rebuild
Verstappen said he loves the track and the city of Austin, calling the layout one of the best ever, but that the bumps are unacceptable. He said grinding the surface is only a temporary fix and that the underlying problem must be tackled.
He said the only real solution is to fully open up the track, which would cost a lot of money and time. He added that the bumps are not natural and are out of control.
I love this track. I love this place. It's one of the best layouts ever and it's one of the venues, best cities to be at. But for me, the bumps that we have are unacceptable.
— Max Verstappen
Other drivers weigh in
Reigning world champion Lando Norris said he takes headache tablets before driving at some tracks because the bumps are so bad. He said COTA would not meet current regulations for a new circuit, but it is an old track.
Mercedes driver George Russell said the bumps are 'just part of racing' but called for F1 tracks to be repaved every couple of years for consistency. He noted that current cars run very low to the ground, making bumps more noticeable.
