Verstappen calls COTA bumps ‘unacceptable’ and demands full fix

Max Verstappen has described the bumps at COTA as unacceptable, calling on the organisers to address the underlying problem rather than continue making limited surface repairs. The four-time world champion said the circuit’s condition could not be excused by its soil if that issue had been foreseeable.

Verstappen says surface work is masking the real problem

Verstappen said the circuit’s organisers were responsible for dealing with the issue, arguing that the ground conditions should have been anticipated and reinforced accordingly. He acknowledged that work had been done in places over time, but said those efforts had not dealt with the cause of the bumps.

The criticism came with a clear qualification: Verstappen remains a fan of the venue. He praised COTA’s layout, as well as the setting and city, but said his affection for the circuit did not make the current surface acceptable.

He argued that patching sections of the track was treating the visible symptom rather than what lay beneath it. In his view, the underlying problem needs to be tackled directly.

For readers looking for more background on the venue, see our COTA circuit guide.

A fundamental repair would take time and money

Verstappen recognised that a lasting solution would not be a quick or simple undertaking. He said the circuit would need to be fully opened up to remove the problem, a process he expects would require substantial time and money.

Even so, he presented that major intervention as the necessary course. He described the bumps as unnatural and beyond control, and said the driver-health implications made a proper fix important.

The message from the United States Grand Prix weekend was therefore not that COTA’s layout needs to change, but that the track surface requires more than another round of local grinding. Verstappen’s position was that organisers must confront the cause beneath the asphalt, even if doing so demands a much larger project.

Our coverage of the venue also includes details of COTA’s Thursday ticket option.