Max Verstappen has delivered a scathing criticism of the "out of control" bumpy track surface at Circuit of The Americas, raising safety concerns ahead of Sunday's United States Grand Prix. The four-time world champion arrives in Austin after claiming his first two victories of the season in back-to-back races.
Speaking to the media on Thursday, Verstappen was unexpectedly passionate about the state of the circuit, which is generally considered one of the most popular among drivers on the F1 calendar. He pointed to the World Endurance Championship as an example, saying the track state there was "extremely badly bumpy." "I'm not really looking forward to that to be honest, for your spine," he said. "It's actually getting a bit out of control."
The Red Bull driver appeared to urge event organisers to prioritise improving the surface in future. "Of course, you can use the excuse that the soil is the problem, but then you should have known that you need to make sure that you reinforce it more," Verstappen said. "I love this track. I love this place. It's one of the best layouts ever. But for me, the bumps that we have are unacceptable."
Verstappen also revealed that medical checks had shown that "the bottom end" of his spine "doesn't look that great." The 29-year-old said that while he understands bumps can be part of sport, further damage is a serious concern. He added that fully resurfacing the track would cost a lot of money and time, but insisted it is the only real solution because "these bumps are not natural and they are out of control."
Source: Sky Sports Champions League · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing