That joke about needing a new spine? Max Verstappen is not laughing anymore. As Motorsport.com reports, the four-time world champion has slammed the current state of the Circuit of the Americas, calling the severe bumps completely unacceptable and demanding a proper fix rather than another quick patch job.
Here is the thing: the trouble runs deep, quite literally. The venue sits on Texas' notorious high-plasticity clay, a tricky foundation that triggers a severe shrink-swell effect as the weather shifts. This constant movement tears up the asphalt, creating punishing ridges right in the heavy braking zones where the cars take the hardest hits. Despite partial resurfacing between Turns 9 and 11, plus repair work from Turns 12 to 19 ahead of the 2026 race, the Dutchman insists that superficial grinding is merely a plaster on a massive structural wound.
"It's very bad," said Verstappen. "You need to make sure that you reinforce it more. For me, the bumps that we have are unacceptable." He acknowledged that fully opening up the track to fix the unstable soil underneath would cost a lot of time and money, but argued it is the only permanent solution to get rid of surfaces that are frankly out of control.
Looking ahead, the machine setup won't offer any relief either. Verstappen warned that the 2026 machinery could actually make the physical punishment worse, noting that low cornering ride heights and heavy bottoming out under braking create extremely stressful moments when paired with shifting ground. Drivers are pulling around 5 to 6G in corners, but Verstappen revealed he has previously suffered vertical load impacts of over 9G on his spine at the venue.
After more than 11 seasons in top-tier competition, those impacts leave a mark. The Red Bull Racing driver admitted that medical checks show the bottom end of his spine does not look great, warning that continuing to accept such conditions will only cause further damage. Organizers can lean on the difficult soil as an excuse all they want, but for the drivers taking the blows, it is time to face the underlying problem head-on.
