COTA chief admits Turn 1 dip is 'not acceptable' after Verstappen slams Austin bumps

Circuit of the Americas chairman Bobby Epstein has acknowledged a surface problem at Turn 1 following Max Verstappen’s public criticism of the Austin track, admitting the dip at the bottom of the corner is “not acceptable” — though he insists the rest of the circuit is in good shape.

Speaking to ESPN, Epstein said COTA only became aware of the specific Turn 1 issue this week. “We don’t feel good that there’s a bump at the bottom of Turn 1,” he said. “We didn’t know about it until this week. We would have fixed it.”

He drew a distinction between a bump and a dip, explaining why an overnight repair is not straightforward. “If it were a bump, we’d sharpen it out, we’d take care of it tomorrow night — that kind of stuff’s happened before. But when it’s a dip it’s a lot different, there’s no easy fix.”

Epstein pushed back on the broader scope of Verstappen’s complaints, arguing that extensive resurfacing work had addressed the majority of the circuit’s long-standing issues. “The other things Max spoke about, all the bumps around the track, we’ve fixed them. The track is in really good shape,” he said, adding that WEC drivers he had spoken to reported no widespread problems.

Verstappen had been blunt in his pre-race media session on Thursday, describing the bumps as “unacceptable” and “out of control”. “From what I saw in WEC, it was extremely badly bumpy. I’m not really looking forward to that, to be honest, for your spine,” the four-time world champion said. “We mentioned this already for years, that it’s actually getting a bit out of control.”

The Red Bull driver also questioned the effectiveness of the remedial work carried out so far. “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,” he said.

Bumps have been a persistent issue at COTA, a consequence of the circuit being built on clay that shifts with changing weather conditions. The entire track was resurfaced before the 2024 race, and the section between Turns 9 and 11 has been resurfaced again for this year’s event, with additional repairs carried out between Turns 12 and 19.

Verstappen is not alone in his concerns. Reigning champion Lando Norris has also backed the criticism, adding further weight to calls for a more permanent solution at one of Formula 1’s most popular venues.