Verstappen calls Austin bumps "unacceptable" and "out of control"

Max Verstappen has described the bumps at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, as "unacceptable" and "out of control". The Formula 1 world champion says the problem is far bigger than a quick repair.

The circuit hosts the United States Grand Prix, and Verstappen said drivers had complained about its condition for some time. He said attempts by the organisers to resolve the issue had not worked. In his view, the only real cure is to fully open up the track, a job that costs a lot of money and time.

Part of the difficulty is the ground itself. The circuit was built on former marshland, which has made it hard to keep the surface in good shape.

Verstappen put the problem in physical terms. G is a measure of force on the body, where 1G is what you feel standing still. He said that at COTA last year he pulled 5-6G through a corner, but the vertical impacts reached more than 9G on his spine. Those sharp jolts, rather than the cornering load, were the part that hurt.

Lando Norris backed his rival's view. He said the track does not meet the tight tolerances, the small allowed margins in surface levels, expected of a new circuit.

Not every driver agreed. George Russell said Austin is bumpy but that he sees bumpiness as part of racing.

Verstappen has also been making the point with humour. He joked that he will need a "new spine" because of the surface. He said his assessment that the track is incredibly bumpy was based on what he had seen in the World Endurance Championship, the sports-car series that races on tracks around the world.

For fans, the argument is as much about money as comfort. The fix Verstappen describes, opening the track up, is the one that takes the most time and cash, and nobody has yet said it is going to happen. Until it does, the bumps look set to remain part of the conversation in Austin.