Norris backs Verstappen over Austin bumps as Russell calls them part of racing

Before this weekend’s United States Grand Prix, Lando Norris backed Max Verstappen’s criticism of the bumps at the Circuit of the Americas. Norris said there are several places where he needs headache tablets before going out because the jolts make his head hit the headrest hard. George Russell also described the circuit as bumpy and not ideal, but said bumps are part of racing.

Norris said drivers had raised the issue many times, though there was only so much they could complain about. Verstappen said drivers had complained about the surface and that organisers’ attempts to resolve it had not worked. He praised the circuit’s layout but called the bumps unacceptable and out of control.

Verstappen described work done here and there as a temporary fix. In his view, the track would have to be fully opened up to get rid of the bumps, a job he said would take substantial time and money. The circuit is built on former marshland, which makes it difficult for organisers to keep it in good condition. Verstappen rejected the soil as an excuse: if it was the problem, he said, organisers should have anticipated it and reinforced the ground.

Verstappen acknowledged that bumps can be part of racing, but warned drivers would suffer more if they continued to accept the Austin surface. He said he experienced vertical impacts above 9G on his spine in 2025, compared with about 5–6G in a corner. He also warned that the problem was likely to worsen in 2026 because the cars run lower in corners under the latest regulations than they did in 2025.

Russell’s broader view was that F1 circuits probably need to be repaved every couple of years for greater consistency. He pointed to tracks where tarmac is lifting or breaking up and causing problems.