Verstappen calls Circuit of the Americas bumps "unacceptable" ahead of US Grand Prix

Max Verstappen has described the surface at Circuit of the Americas as “unacceptable”, warning ahead of the United States Grand Prix in Austin that years of patch-up repairs have failed to address the root cause of the track’s notorious bumps.

The four-time world champion raised the alarm after watching the World Endurance Championship’s Lone Star Le Mans at the Texas venue on 6 September, telling media on the Austin media day that what he witnessed left him genuinely concerned — not just about comfort, but about the broader principle of what F1 drivers should be expected to tolerate.

“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,” Verstappen said. “I was joking about that in the last race, but it’s not really a joke to be honest. We mentioned this already for years, that it’s actually getting a bit out of control.”

The problem is structural. Circuit of the Americas was built on Texas’ high-plasticity clay, a soil type that expands and contracts dramatically with changes in moisture. That constant movement causes the asphalt above it to shift and crack, with the heaviest braking zones suffering the most severe deformation.

Organisers have repeatedly attempted to address the issue. Ahead of the 2026 race, sections between Turns 9 and 11 were resurfaced, and repair work was carried out between Turns 12 and 19. Two years ago, the entire circuit was resurfaced ahead of the 2024 United States Grand Prix — yet the problem has returned.

Verstappen was unsparing in his assessment of that approach. “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,” he said. “I mean, I love this track, I love this place. It’s one of the best layouts ever and it’s one of the best venues and best cities to be at. But for me, the bumps that we have are unacceptable.”

The Dutchman argued that surface grinding and localised resurfacing amount to little more than temporary fixes. “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 indicated that a lasting solution would require fully excavating and reinforcing the ground beneath the track — a far more disruptive and costly undertaking than anything attempted so far. Whether the circuit’s operators are willing to commit to work of that scale remains to be seen.