Verstappen on US Grand Prix: "I'll probably have to order a new spine"

Pulse Sports Team 10:04 - 21 October 2026

In typical fashion, Max Verstappen joked that he might need to order a new spine after the United States Grand Prix weekend, pointing to the notoriously bumpy surface at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin.

The Texan circuit is built on soft ground, which causes bumps to develop easily across the track. Despite large sections being resurfaced only a few years ago, the surface has once again become extremely uneven, creating considerable discomfort for Formula 1 drivers in their low-riding cars.

"From what I saw in WEC (World Endurance Championship), the track is very bumpy. I'll probably have to order a new spine after the weekend. I'm going to end up like Robocop. Dealing with all those bumps is a fresh challenge for everyone," Verstappen said. "I don't want to jump ahead and say I'll be right in the fight in Austin. The last few weekends have been great, but I just prefer taking it race by race. Once we arrive in Austin, we'll see where we stand. The track is completely different. "From there, we go to Mexico, where the high altitude makes the cars run very hot. We have to see how the engine copes at that altitude and how the car handles, because it's a totally different beast. There are so many things you can get right or wrong across these races, so we'll see," the Dutchman added.