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One of the dominant talking points in the Formula 1 paddock this weekend has been the severe bumps at the Circuit of the Americas. Drivers voiced strong concerns during Friday's briefing, after which Max Verstappen held further discussions with FIA officials and track management.
Built on a deep layer of notorious Texas soft clay, the circuit suffers from constant soil expansion and contraction. The entire track was resurfaced two years ago, with two further interventions carried out ahead of this year's race. The section between Turns 9 and 11 was repaved, while efforts were also made to grind down the worst areas between Turns 12 and 19.
According to the drivers, however, those measures have fallen far short. As early as Thursday, Verstappen labelled conditions "unacceptable" and "out of control." On Saturday, the Dutchman revealed he has been taking painkillers daily in Austin, while fellow driver Lando Norris has had to take headache tablets before every session.
When the issue of the bumpy surface was raised again after qualifying, Verstappen told Dutch media:
"A few corners here are simply completely unacceptable."
His remarks focused primarily on the heavy bump in the Turn 1 braking zone and the tricky section through Turn 19. When questioned on the topic by motorsport.com, the Red Bull driver made it clear that the problem areas are far more widespread.
"Turns 1 and 19 are really in terrible shape, but the same goes for the whole high-speed section between Turns 4 and 5 – there are massive bumps there. I completely understand the soil here causes issues, but that's something that should have been planned for in advance. It shouldn't serve as an excuse."
Beyond the severe physical toll on the drivers, the bumps through high-speed sweeps present a genuine safety hazard. Several drivers came close to losing control during practice sessions, where an incident at such speeds could carry severe consequences.
"Things like that just shouldn't happen at those speeds, with the floor hitting the ground that hard," Verstappen stressed.
Circuit promoter Bobby Epstein pushed back against the Dutchman's initial criticism, maintaining that the reality on the ground is not as dire as portrayed.
"We don't like having a bump at the bottom of Turn 1. We only found out about it this week, otherwise we would have fixed it. But everything else Max is talking about – all the other bumps around the track – we've addressed. The track is in really good shape," Epstein told ESPN earlier in the week. "Max is rarely wrong in his assessments and he's always very straightforward, which I genuinely appreciate. I have no issue with what he said, but I think he'll be surprised to find that several of the bumps he expected are no longer there."
However, the circuit boss's comments did not sit well with Verstappen. The four-time world champion remains thoroughly unimpressed by the track surface and argued that Epstein would quickly change his tune if he got behind the wheel of the RB22 himself.
"I invite him to drive my car. I think after five laps they'd have to haul him out and he wouldn't be able to walk."
The Red Bull driver insisted that fundamental changes will be required in the coming years, arguing that F1 drivers should not have to endure such risks to their spinal health, and offered a long-term solution.
"You can lay a new layer of asphalt again and again, but in a year or two the problem comes right back. You have to look deeper. I think the FIA and Formula 1 need to be much stricter on this. I understand it costs a fortune, but current measures are just putting a plaster on the problem. The entire track needs to be dug up from the foundation and rebuilt with a solid base, knowing that the soil underneath shifts."
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