Max Verstappen calls Austin circuit bumps ‘unacceptable’ before US Grand Prix
The Red Bull driver says repeated surface repairs have failed to address the problem at Circuit of the Americas. Lando Norris shares his concern, while George Russell takes a different view.
Max Verstappen has called the bumps at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, ‘unacceptable’ and ‘out of control’ ahead of this weekend’s United States Grand Prix. The Red Bull driver said the uneven surface could make the race physically demanding and complicate his team’s car setup.
Verstappen said drivers had complained about the circuit for years and that attempts to improve it had not solved the problem. After watching this year’s World Endurance Championship visit to Austin, he told media including RacingNews365 that the track looked ‘extremely, badly bumpy’. He said he did not know how his car would respond to it.
Why Verstappen wants deeper track repairs
Verstappen likened the gradual repairs to putting a ‘plaster’ on the problem. In his view, a lasting solution would mean opening up the track to address what lies beneath its surface, a job he acknowledged would take considerable time and money. He rejected shifting soil as a sufficient excuse, arguing that the ground should have been reinforced. Those comments are his assessment of the problem, rather than an engineering finding.
The BBC reported that the circuit was built on former marshland, making its condition difficult for organisers to maintain. Verstappen said he loved the venue and considered its layout among the best, but argued that the bumps had become excessive. His concern extends beyond lap times: he said he expected the surface to be hard on drivers’ backs over the weekend.
How Norris and Russell see the Austin bumps
Lando Norris backed Verstappen’s criticism. According to the BBC, Norris said the bumps affected him physically in the car, including by making his head strike the headrest, and that he sometimes needed headache tablets before driving at Austin. He said the circuit did not meet the tolerances now required of new tracks, while acknowledging that Austin is an older venue.
George Russell also described the track as bumpy, but said he regarded that as part of racing. He suggested Formula 1 circuits might need more frequent repaving as their tarmac deteriorates. The differing views leave the drivers facing the same uneven surface this weekend, even as they disagree over how much it should be changed.
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Sources and context
- United States Grand Prix: Max Verstappen says Austin track bumps 'unacceptable' and 'out of control'BBC Sport
- Max Verstappen fires 'out of control' criticism over USGP circuitRacingNews365
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.