Bumps Unacceptable for Verstappen Ahead of Austin Race
Ahead of the United States Grand Prix weekend, Red Bull's Max Verstappen has delivered a blunt assessment of the Austin circuit. Although he enjoys racing at the Circuit of the Americas, the four-time world champion says the bumps are a problem he cannot tolerate.
In comments made to the media in Austin, Verstappen spoke warmly about the venue before turning to the surface issues that continue to trouble drivers.
‘I like this track, I like this place. It is one of the best layouts and one of the best places around. It is the best city to live in. But for me, bumps are not acceptable.’
According to Verstappen, the only lasting solution would be to open the circuit completely and carry out a full rebuild. He accepted that the work would be costly and slow, yet maintained that patching the problem will not be enough.
‘You have to open the track fully. It takes a lot of money and time, but that is the only way to get rid of it. These bumps are not natural, and they are out of control.’
The circuit's location is part of the difficulty. It is built on marshy ground, which has made it hard for organisers to keep the track in top condition. Verstappen, however, does not view this as a convenient excuse. He feels the issue should have been foreseen and that the ground should have been reinforced from the outset.
‘You can say the soil is the problem, but then you should have known that and made sure to strengthen it. For example, in one corner you pull around five or six G, but I got impact and vertical load of more than 9 G on my spine. I can tell you it is really not fun. The older you get, the more you think about it.’
Verstappen also stressed that this year's cars make the situation harder. Running lower through the corners than last season's cars, they are more exposed to the bumps. Once the wings are closed and ride height drops, braking into bumpy sections becomes especially demanding.
‘You go down very hard, because when the wings are closed and the ride height is lower, braking is really difficult. I know braking is very bumpy in some places here. Especially with these odd bumps, not just from an old track but from the surface underneath rising and falling. Sometimes they are very hard to anticipate.’