Overview
- Max Verstappen escalated public warnings on Saturday that bumps at the Circuit of The Americas are “out of control” and could cause long‑term damage to his spine, citing medical checks he has had.
- Verstappen has previously reported extreme loads at COTA, saying he experienced about 5–6G in some corners and more than 9G of vertical force on his spine in 2025, which drivers say shows the issue is measurable not just felt.
- Lando Norris says the track forces him to take headache tablets before driving because heavy jolts make his head hit the headrest, showing drivers are reporting acute symptoms during race weekends.
- Teams and drivers, including George Russell, blame recent technical rules that produce very low ride heights and 18‑inch wheels, which reduce tyre sidewall damping and let more vertical force reach drivers.
- Fixing the problem would mean fully opening and excavating the surface, a costly, time‑consuming job that requires COTA owners and regulators to coordinate, and no major repairs have been done during the race weekend.