Max Verstappen has voiced serious concerns about the state of COTA’s track surface, warning that it could damage drivers’ spines by the end of the Formula 1 weekend.
The Dutchman had already made his feelings clear on the popular Texan circuit’s surface, having taken notes from watching the recent World Endurance Championship race held there.
Ahead of the weekend, Verstappen quickly told the media he had doubts about the United States Grand Prix. Despite being a fan favourite on the F1 calendar, the Dutchman once again cited WEC as having raised some concerns for F1 drivers.
“From what I saw in WEC, it was extremely bumpy. I’m not really looking forward to that, to be honest, for your spine.” He told the media, including Motorsport Week. He went on to say it’s not a new thought, with concern bubbling up in recent years.
“I was joking about that in the last race, but it’s not really a joke, to be honest. We’ve been saying this for years, that it’s actually getting a bit out of control.”
For the four-time World Champion, the responsibility fell on the organisers, with Verstappen brushing off potential excuses.
“It’s very bad. Of course, 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,” Verstappen said.
He reiterated that he loves coming to COTA but the current conditions are ‘unacceptable ‘.
“I mean: I love this track, I love this place. It’s one of the best layouts ever, and it’s one of the, I would say, best venues and best cities to be at. But for me, the bumps that we have are unacceptable.
“Over time, they’ve been grinding a little bit here and there, but you’re putting a plaster on the big problem, and that’s just what’s underneath. That’s what you actually need to tackle in the first place.”
Verstappen acknowledged that it isn’t a quick job. Instead, fixing the fundamental issues would likely take significant time and money. However, with the driver’s health coming into play, he sees it as a necessary change.
“But that, of course, means you need to really fully open up the track.
“That costs a lot of money and time. But honestly, that’s the only way to get rid of it. Because, yeah, these bumps are not natural and they are out of control.”
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