He can drive my car, after five laps he won’t be able to walk
It is one of the main talking points in the Formula 1 paddock this weekend: the extreme bumps at the Circuit of the Americas. Drivers raised their concerns during Friday evening’s drivers’ briefing, after which Verstappen stayed behind for some time to speak further with representatives of the FIA and the circuit.
Because the track was built on Texas’ infamous high-plasticity clay, it suffers from a severe shrink-swell effect. Two years ago, it was completely resurfaced, while two further interventions were carried out ahead of this year’s event. The section between Turns 9 and 11 was resurfaced again, while efforts were made to remove the worst bumps between Turns 12 and 19.
According to the drivers, however, that is not enough. Verstappen already described the track conditions as “unacceptable” and “out of control” on Thursday, adding on Saturday that he is taking painkillers every day in Austin, just as Lando Norris needs headache tablets for every session.
When the bumps came up again after qualifying during Verstappen’s Dutch media round in the paddock, he said: “There are a few corners here that are simply really unacceptable.”
That appears to refer primarily to the enormous bump under braking for Turn 1 and a rather dangerous one at Turn 19, but when Motorsport.com put that to Verstappen, he explained that there are more problem areas.
“Turns 1 and 19 are indeed really bad, but also that whole fast section between Turns 4 and 5, there are such big bumps there… Of course I understand that the ground here is a problem, but that’s something you should have looked at beforehand. That really shouldn’t be an excuse.”
Besides placing considerable physical strain on the drivers, the bumps through the Esses are also potentially dangerous. Several drivers have already come close to losing control of their cars at that point during the practice sessions in Austin, and if things actually go wrong through the sequence of high-speed corners, the consequences could be immense.
“Yes, those are things that really shouldn’t happen at such high speeds, when the car bottoms out like that”, Verstappen said.
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
Photo by: Clive Mason / Getty Images
Verstappen proposes far-reaching measures
Bobby Epstein, chairman of the Circuit of the Americas, responded to Verstappen’s initial comments by suggesting that the situation was not as bad in practice as the Dutchman had made it sound.
“We don’t feel good that there’s a bump at the bottom of Turn 1. We didn’t know about it until this week. We would have fixed it. But the other things Max spoke about, all the bumps around the track, we’ve fixed them. The track is in really good shape”, Epstein told ESPN.
He even expressed the expectation that Verstappen would change his mind after Friday practice.
“Max doesn’t say I’m wrong a lot, but he’s also right a lot. He’s usually very frank, and I appreciate that about him. I had no problem with him saying what he said, but I think he might be surprised in some areas that bumps he thought were here aren’t [there] anymore.”
However, when those comments were put to Verstappen during the Dutch media session, that proved to be anything but the case. The four-time world champion is still far from impressed with the condition of the circuit and believes Epstein would say the same if he were to drive the RB22.
“I invite him to drive my car”, Verstappen said. “I think he’d have to get out after five laps and wouldn’t be able to walk anymore.”
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
Photo by: Clive Rose / Formula 1 via Getty Images
According to Verstappen, far-reaching measures will be needed in the coming years. On Thursday, he had already said that F1 drivers should no longer have to accept such conditions because of the damage to their spines, and after qualifying the Dutchman put forward a concrete proposal for the years ahead.
“You can put down a new layer of asphalt again, but a year or two later you’ll have the same problem, so you need to look deeper.
“I think the FIA and Formula 1 should also be stricter about that. I understand that it all costs a lot of money, but this is really just putting a plaster over the problem. You need to dig the whole thing up and put in a proper foundation if you know the ground underneath is moving.”
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