Verstappen says COTA bumps are 'unacceptable' and reveals spine checks before US Grand Prix

Max Verstappen arrived in Austin as the most recent Grand Prix winner, but the Red Bull driver spent much of Thursday's media day talking about the track rather than his form. Speaking on 22 October ahead of the United States Grand Prix, the four-time champion described the bumps at the Circuit of the Americas as unacceptable and revealed that medical checks on his spine had not delivered reassuring news.

What Verstappen said about the surface

Verstappen told reporters the bumps at COTA had got out of hand, a view he formed after watching footage of last month's World Endurance Championship race at the circuit. He argued that the problem sits beneath the asphalt, so patching the surface only treats the symptoms. A proper fix, in his view, would mean reopening the track entirely, which he accepted would be expensive and slow.

He was careful to separate the surface from the venue itself. Verstappen still rates the layout as one of the best on the calendar and Austin as one of the best host cities, and the criticism was aimed squarely at the ride quality rather than the event.

The back concern

The more personal part of his comments concerned his health. Verstappen said checks on his lower spine showed the bottom section "doesn't look that great", and he linked part of that to the cars drivers have raced in recent seasons.

According to The Race, he also explained why the 2026 cars can be harsher than the ground-effect machines that came before them. The current cars change ride height between their straight-line and braking modes and run lower through corners, which makes them more prone to bottoming out. He admitted he was unsure how his Red Bull would react over the roughest sections this weekend.

Norris and Russell add their views

Verstappen was not alone. Reigning champion Lando Norris said he sometimes takes headache tablets before bumpy circuits because his head is repeatedly knocked against the headrest. He noted that COTA would not meet the tolerances expected of a brand-new venue, while accepting it is an older circuit, and said drivers have raised the issue many times.

George Russell took a more relaxed line, describing bumps as part of racing, but he still called for F1 tracks to be repaved every couple of years. The Mercedes driver also pointed to the 18-inch tyres, whose lower sidewalls give less natural cushioning than the older, taller tyres, combined with very low ride heights.

What has changed at COTA

The circuit has not stood still. The Race reports that Turns 9 to 11 were resurfaced and that bumps were removed at the entries to Turns 12 and 19. Sky Sports noted there was no announcement from the circuit or F1 of a wider resurfacing plan, so the only broader proposals so far are those coming from the drivers themselves.

For Verstappen, who won the last race in Singapore on 11 October, the answers will come once the cars hit the track. First practice starts at 12:30 local time on Friday, which is 1.30am on Saturday in Malaysia, with second practice at 5am Malaysia time. The race itself starts at 4am on Monday 26 October, Malaysia time.

Key takeaways

• Verstappen called the COTA bumps unacceptable and said the problem lies beneath the surface.
• He revealed that checks on his lower spine were not encouraging and blamed recent car generations in part.
• Norris said he takes headache tablets before some bumpy tracks; Russell wants circuits repaved every couple of years.
• Turns 9 to 11 have been resurfaced, with bumps removed at the entries to Turns 12 and 19.

FAQ

Why are 2026 F1 cars so sensitive to bumps? According to Verstappen, the 2026 cars change ride height between straight-line and braking modes and run low through corners, so they bottom out more readily. Russell added that the 18-inch tyres offer less sidewall cushioning.

Has COTA been resurfaced for 2026? Partly. Turns 9 to 11 have new asphalt and bumps at the entries to Turns 12 and 19 were removed, but no full resurfacing has been announced.

When does on-track action start in Malaysia time? FP1 begins at 1.30am on Saturday 24 October and FP2 at 5am the same morning. Qualifying is at 5am on Sunday and the race at 4am on Monday 26 October.

Sources: Sky Sports, The Race, Formula1.com, Malay Mail