Max Verstappen slams ‘unacceptable’ bumps at Austin track ahead of United States GP
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen has voiced strong criticism regarding the severe bumps on the Circuit of the Americas track ahead of the United States Grand Prix, warning that the condition of the circuit has gotten "out of control" and poses a long-term risk to drivers' health.
Despite describing the Austin circuit as one of his favorite locations on the Formula 1 calendar, the four-time world champion highlighted the recurring surface issues as a critical concern that quick fixes cannot resolve.
"I love this track, I love this place. It's one of the best layouts ever, and it's one of the best venues, best city to be at," Verstappen told the media. "But for me the bumps are unacceptable. Over time they've been grinding a little bit here and there, but it's just putting a plaster on the big problem."
"But that of course means you need to really fully open up the track. That costs a lot of money and time, but that's the only way to get rid of it because these bumps are not natural and they are out of control," he added.
Structural concerns and physical toll
The Circuit of the Americas is constructed on shifting marshland, creating ongoing structural challenges for track organisers. However, Verstappen argued that environmental factors should have been accounted for during construction and reinforcement.
"You can use the excuse that the soil is the problem, but then you should have known that and you need to make sure that you reinforce it more," Verstappen said.
"Last year, for example, you pull around 5-6G in a corner, but I had some impacts, vertical load, which was over 9G on my spine, which I can tell you is really not fun, and especially the older you get, you think about that more and more."
Challenges with modern F1 machinery
The Red Bull driver noted that current aerodynamic setups and lower ride heights could compound the physical strain on drivers under heavy braking zones across uneven sections of the circuit.
"You bottom out way harder, because when the wings close and the ride height comes down, under braking is actually a very stressful moment, and I know around here in some places, it's very bumpy under braking," he said.
"Especially when it's like these kinds of awkward bumps, not just bumps from the track getting older, but the surface underneath the soil just moving up and down, sometimes (it's) very hard to expect, or if you're like a tiny bit offline, you don't know what is there, because no-one really drives here sometimes.
"I can tell you from the checks that I've done from my spine, the bottom end doesn't look that great. I know that's part of racing. I know that can be part of sport, but it's also further damage from the cars that we had in the last few years. And now if we continue with finding this acceptable to drive on, then you are going to suffer with that much more," the four-time champion highlighted. (IANS)