Max Verstappen has fired a sharp warning ahead of the United States Grand Prix at Austin, calling the bumps at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) 'unacceptable' and 'out of control' — and revealing the physical toll the track has already taken on his spine. The four-time world champion made the remarks in a media address ahead of the weekend's race, combining genuine admiration for the venue with an unsparing critique of its deteriorating surface.

What Verstappen Said

'I love this track, I love this place. It's one of the best layouts ever, and it's one of the best venues, best city to be at,' Verstappen told reporters. 'But for me the bumps are unacceptable. Over time they've been grinding a little bit here and there, but it's just putting a plaster on the big problem.'

He was equally direct about the solution: 'That of course means you need to really fully open up the track. That costs a lot of money and time, but that's the only way to get rid of it because these bumps are not natural and they are out of control.'

The Marshland Problem and the G-Force Reality

The Circuit of the Americas is constructed on former marshland, which has long made surface stability a structural challenge for organisers. Verstappen acknowledged the geology but rejected it as a valid excuse: 'You can use the excuse that the soil is the problem, but then you should have known that and you need to make sure that you reinforce it more.'

Beyond the engineering argument, the Red Bull driver disclosed striking data about the physical impact. 'Last year, for example, you pull around 5–6G in a corner, but I had some impacts, vertical load, which was over 9G on my spine, which I can tell you is really not fun, and especially the older you get, you think about that more and more,' he said.

Why 2025-Spec Cars Make It Worse

Verstappen also warned that current-generation cars — which run lower ride heights than in previous seasons — are especially vulnerable at COTA. 'You bottom out way harder, because when the wings close and the ride height comes down, under braking is actually a very stressful moment, and I know around here in some places, it's very bumpy under braking,' he explained.

The unpredictability of the surface compounds the danger. 'Especially when it's like these kinds of awkward bumps, not just bumps from the track getting older, but the surface underneath the soil just moving up and down, sometimes very hard to expect, or if you're like a tiny bit offline, you don't know what is there,' he added.

Health Concern and a Direct Appeal

Verstappen made clear that his objection is as much about long-term driver health as it is about lap times. 'I can tell you from the checks that I've done from my spine, the bottom end doesn't look that great. I know that's part of racing. I know that can be part of sport, but it's also further damage from the cars that we had in the last few years,' he said. 'And now if we continue with finding this acceptable to drive on, then you are going to suffer with that much more.'

This is not the first time COTA's surface condition has drawn driver criticism — multiple riders and drivers across motorsport series have flagged the same issues over the years, making Verstappen's comments part of a longer pattern of unresolved complaints. Whether his high-profile intervention prompts the circuit's organisers to commit to a full resurfacing project remains to be seen ahead of what is expected to be a closely contested United States Grand Prix.