Verstappen calls Austin's bumps unacceptable and warns of spine damage before US Grand Prix

A warning before the race

Max Verstappen has called the bumps at the Circuit of the Americas unacceptable ahead of the United States Grand Prix in Austin. Speaking before the race weekend, the Red Bull driver said the lower part of his spine does not look good after examinations he had done. Before arriving in Texas he joked that he would end up needing a new spine, but he took a more serious tone when he turned to the track. He said the problem has been raised for years and that it is now getting out of hand. Verstappen also praised the circuit and its layout.

I had tests done on my spine, and I can tell you: the bottom part doesn't look very good.

Why the bumps persist

The circuit was built on clay-rich ground that swells when it rains and contracts in heat, and that movement pushes the asphalt out of shape from below. Verstappen argues that resurfacing has only been a patch on a bigger problem, and that the ground beneath the track must be reinforced first. This year the surface was redone from the entry of turn 9 to the entry of turn 11, and smoothed at the entries to turns 12 and 19. Similar work was done in the same areas ahead of the 2026 season, and the entire track was resurfaced two years before the 2024 United States Grand Prix. These measures are seen as temporary fixes that will give way again.

Drivers describe the strain

Lando Norris says he has to take headache tablets before driving at several venues, because the bumps make his head knock against the headrest. He said the Austin track does not meet the FIA's current construction standards, and that a new track built today would need much smaller tolerances. George Russell agreed that the situation is not ideal, and has proposed that Formula 1 tracks be fully resurfaced every two years. Jeroen Bleekemolen, a former Le Mans 24 Hours class winner in LMP2 who raced at Austin himself, says he has had back pain every day for years. He explained that heavy braking loads the back, and that bumps add jolts on top of that.

Cars and the new rules

Verstappen links the problem to the current cars, which run at very low ride heights. Drivers touch the ground more than before when braking, and most of the bumps occur at exactly those moments, he said. He also warned that the 2026 cars could make the situation worse. He put the cornering loads he felt in 2025 at 5 to 6 g in some sections, and vertical loads on his spine above 9 g during some impacts.

But we have been raising this problem for years, and it is getting a bit out of hand now.

Race weekend and the title race

Practice starts on Friday, 23 October, qualifying is set for Saturday, 24 October, and the race takes place on Sunday, 25 October. Kimi Antonelli leads the drivers' standings on 340 points after the Singapore race, ahead of George Russell on 238 and Lewis Hamilton on 229. Max Verstappen is fourth on 221 points, and Lando Norris sixth on 201. According to SRF, Antonelli could be crowned the youngest world champion in history in Austin, but he needs a win and poor results from his rivals.