Verstappen says 2026 F1 ride-height swings worsen comfort

In comments to Dutch media, Max Verstappen said the changing ride height of Formula 1's 2026 cars has worsened the comfort problem. He said the movement caused back pain and that he had to drive with painkillers at the Circuit of the Americas.

Verstappen described the cars as running very low in corners, rising on the straights in Straight Mode zones and dropping again under braking, particularly as the active aerodynamics close. On a bumpy track such as COTA, he said, those changes are especially problematic.

The new rules were supposed to improve the situation, Verstappen said, but they had not. He argued that several consequences had not been properly considered; some, he said, only came up once the regulations were signed off and could no longer be changed.

Verstappen also said it had not been known at the time how much Straight Mode would be allowed. He hopes the consequences will provide lessons for future regulations.