Verstappen reports unusual steering feel after a few laps in Austin

Max Verstappen reported an unusual feel in the steering of his RB22 after only a few laps of first practice at Circuit of the Americas. He described friction particularly when turning left. The problem was eventually resolved; Verstappen continued his programme and finished the session second, 0.084 seconds behind Charles Leclerc.

Such specific feedback can help engineers investigate: they can compare a driver's impressions with telemetry to understand what is happening.

Verstappen has noticed other abnormalities in very different circumstances. At the 2024 Australian season opener, he noticed the rear of the car responding strangely; the episode was later linked to a stuck right-rear brake caliper, and he could not finish the race. In Bahrain in 2022, he reported heavy, jerky steering after a pit stop; the steering rod was later found damaged after the car came down hard off the jacks. The two earlier faults had different causes; what links them to Austin is how clearly Verstappen described an abnormal sensation.